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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will visit Saudi Arabia on May 18, to attend the second meeting of the Turkish-Saudi Coordination Council in Riyadh, marking his third visit to the kingdom within the past year.
The council, established in 2016 under the chairmanship of both countries' foreign ministers, serves as an institutional framework for cooperation and consultation to monitor relations between the two nations in all dimensions.
The upcoming meeting will be co-chaired by Minister Fidan and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. The council includes five subcommittees covering diplomacy, security, culture, social development, and economic cooperation, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.
"The rapidly developing cooperation between the two countries in all areas is a source of satisfaction," Fidan is expected to state during the meetings, highlighting the importance of the institutional framework.
The first meeting of the Coordination Council was held in Ankara on February 7-8, 2017. Fidan most recently conducted a working visit to Saudi Arabia on January 28-29, 2025, while Prince Faisal visited Türkiye on April 11-12, 2025, to participate in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) - Arab League Gaza Contact Group meeting in Antalya.
The trade volume between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia reached approximately $8 billion in 2024, reflecting deepening economic ties. During his discussions, Fidan is expected to emphasize that "Türkiye aims to further increase its trade volume with Saudi Arabia."
The council's economic cooperation subcommittee will likely review potential areas for investment and trade expansion between the two regional powers.
The two countries maintain close cooperation and dialogue on regional issues, including through their work within the OIC-Arab League Gaza Contact Group. During his meetings, Fidan is expected to underscore that "the strategic dialogue between the two countries contributes to regional peace and stability."
The Turkish Foreign Minister will likely stress that "it is important to demonstrate solidarity in the face of the challenges confronting the Islamic world, particularly within the OIC." He is also expected to highlight that "achieving a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and launching reconstruction efforts is a priority."
Regarding Syria, Fidan is anticipated to emphasize that "lifting sanctions would accelerate Syria's development" and that "the solidarity shown by Türkiye and Saudi Arabia on the Syria issue is encouraging for the international community."
The minister is also expected to reiterate "the necessity of halting Israel's destabilizing attacks on Syria."
The meeting in Riyadh is expected to comprehensively review the course of relations between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia, discuss steps that can be taken to further strengthen cooperation, and evaluate the work done by the various subcommittees established under the Coordination Council.
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