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Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will conduct his first official visit to Ireland on Tuesday-Wednesday, marking a significant diplomatic engagement between the two European nations as they approach the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.
Fidan will meet with Irish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Defence Simon Harris during the two-day visit, according to Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs sources.
The two ministers last met on Feb. 20, on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Johannesburg.
During the meetings, Fidan is expected to emphasize the importance of strengthening bilateral relations and regional consultations between Türkiye and Ireland, located on opposite sides of Europe.
With 2026 marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the Turkish foreign minister is expected to express that mutual high-level contacts could be increased and joint activities could be organized in the coming period.
The discussions will focus on exploring new cooperation opportunities to deepen commercial, economic, and cultural relations between the two countries, sources indicated.
Fidan is expected to express Türkiye's expectation for steps to advance Türkiye-European Union relations within the framework of Ireland's EU Council Presidency in the second half of next year.
The Turkish minister will underscore that Türkiye's inclusion in the SAFE mechanism is a geostrategic necessity and emphasize that Türkiye is open to developing partnerships with Ireland in the defense industry sector.
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Fidan will express Türkiye's appreciation for Ireland's principled stance on the Palestine issue and state that common efforts should be accelerated for the establishment of an independent Palestinian State based on a two-state solution.
The discussions are also expected to address regional and global developments, particularly Ukraine, Syria and Iran.
Diplomatic relations between Türkiye and Ireland were established in 1951, with Türkiye's Dublin Embassy opening in 1973. The 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations will be celebrated in 2026.
A historic moment in bilateral relations occurred during Ireland's "Great Famine" period between 1845 and 1852, which caused the death of 1 million Irish people and forced an equal number to emigrate.
In 1847, upon Sultan Abdulmecid's orders, Türkiye provided cash assistance and three ships full of food aid.
The bilateral trade volume between the two countries currently runs at approximately $2 billion, with a target of increasing it to $3 billion. As of the end of 2024, Ireland's investments in Türkiye stood at $1.3 billion.
Approximately 13,000 Turkish citizens living in Ireland play an essential role in strengthening relations between the peoples of both countries.
The number of Irish tourists visiting Türkiye is regularly increasing, with approximately 200,000 Irish tourists visiting Türkiye in 2024.
Ireland, which has been working for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on a two-state solution since the 1980s, announced its recognition of the State of Palestine on May 28, 2024.
Ireland also submitted its intervention declaration to the International Court of Justice Registry on Jan. 6, regarding South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
Israel announced the closure of its Dublin embassy in reaction to this decision.
Additionally, the first draft of a bill envisaging the prohibition of trade with the occupied Palestinian territories was published by the Irish Government in June 2025.
The bill will continue to be discussed in Parliament in the new legislative year.
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