Turkish, Saudi foreign ministers to co-chair 2nd Coordination Council session

ISTANBUL

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan will co-chair the second session of their joint Coordination Council in Riyadh on Sunday, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

Fidan will travel to Riyadh on Sunday for the second meeting of the Turkish-Saudi Coordination Council, his third visit to Saudi Arabia in the past year. His most recent trip was a working visit on Jan. 28-29.

Meanwhile, Prince Faisal traveled to Türkiye on April 11-12 to attend the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) – Arab League Gaza Contact Group meeting in Antalya.

According to the Foreign Ministry, discussions during Fidan’s visit are expected to focus on strengthening bilateral ties and addressing key regional issues.

The Turkish foreign minister will highlight that "the rapidly developing cooperation between the two countries in all areas is a source of satisfaction."

He will also stress that "Türkiye aims to further increase its trade volume with Saudi Arabia" and that "strategic dialogue between the two countries contributes to regional peace and stability."

Fidan is also expected to emphasize shared regional concerns, saying "it is important to demonstrate solidarity in the face of the challenges confronting the Islamic world, particularly within the OIC," and that "achieving a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and launching reconstruction efforts is a priority."

On Syria, he will underline 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."

He will reiterate "the necessity of halting Israel’s destabilizing attacks on Syria."

The Turkish-Saudi Coordination Council, established in 2016 under the leadership of the two countries’ foreign ministers, serves as a framework to institutionalize and advance bilateral relations.

The first meeting was held in Ankara in February 2017.

The body includes five subcommittees covering diplomacy, security, culture, social development, and economic cooperation.

The trade volume between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia reached approximately $8 billion in 2024, reflecting deepening economic ties.

Both countries continue to cooperate closely on regional matters, including through the Gaza Contact Group.