Newsletters
Zulfiquar Ghadiyali, a senior figure in the United Arab Emirates’ investment network and a key executive at International Holding Company (IHC), told Turkish media that Abu Dhabi is actively engaged in negotiations with Turkish firms across high-growth sectors, signaling that new deals may be forthcoming.
Ghadiyali, who heads the private office of Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, brother of the UAE president, described Türkiye’s investment climate as one of accelerating momentum, confirming ongoing but confidential talks with several Turkish companies.
"Our engagements with Turkish firms in clean energy, industrial production, technology, and the digital sector are ongoing," he told business-focused patronlardunyasi.com. "There is real value being built in those talks."
Ghadiyali emphasized that the UAE’s view of Türkiye goes beyond short-term capital placement, assessing that Türkiye is now seen as a "bridge economy" linking Europe, Central Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. The country’s industrial base, engineering capacity, and expanding digital ecosystem offer a rare combination of scale and agility for Gulf investors.
"Türkiye brings together legacy and innovation," he noted. "That combination is rare and powerful. We see long-term strategic alignment."
Ghadiyali identified clean energy, particularly solar, hydrogen, and grid technologies, as a cornerstone of future cooperation. Beyond renewables, Ghadiyali said active discussions are underway in industrial production and artificial intelligence, including proposals to co-develop scalable AI platforms for agriculture, energy management, and logistics.
"We are especially interested in combining the UAE’s financial scale with Türkiye’s production capabilities," he said, suggesting a model of capital-meets-manufacturing that could serve broader regional markets.
Türkiye’s creative economy also features prominently in the UAE’s investment strategy. Ghadiyali praised the country’s gains in mobile gaming, e-commerce, and film production, noting that these sectors align well with the Gulf Cooperation Council’s youthful digital population and rising appetite for consumer tech.
"The energy of Türkiye’s digital entrepreneurs is something we are watching closely," he added. "The future of UAE-Türkiye relations will be built on joint innovation, not just trade volume."
Since 2021, bilateral ties between the two countries have evolved significantly, following a diplomatic normalization that paved the way for deeper economic engagement. Bilateral trade volume between Türkiye and the UAE reached $15.6 billion by the end of 2024 and is expected to approach $20 billion in 2025, with a long-term target set at $40 billion.
1 min read
5 min read
