UAE and Turkiye ties deepen
4 July 2025
Commentary
Colin Foreman
Editor
Read the July issue of MEED Business Review
The growing trade volumes between the UAE and Turkiye involve a mix of competition and collaboration across various sectors.
One area of competition is aviation. Turkish Airlines has emerged as a major global player over the past 20 years, with its network now covering more countries than any other airline.
Turkiye’s aviation sector entered a new era in 2019 when Istanbul Grand airport opened. The first phase has the capacity to handle 90 million passengers a year, and the plan is for the capacity to reach 200 million once later phases are completed.
The airport’s globally strategic location combined with its large and expandable capacity will give Turkiye’s aviation
sector an edge over its competitors in the Gulf over the next decade as construction starts on major airports, including Dubai and Riyadh.
While competition is evident, Turkish Airlines insists there is enough room for it and the Gulf airlines to grow as the centre of gravity for global aviation shifts from west to east.
On a macro level, the UAE and Turkiye are complementary economies
Beyond aviation, the trade relationship encompasses a wide range of sectors, including defence, logistics and construction. Over the past two years, Turkish contractors have secured significant contracts in the UAE. Turkish construction companies are now exporting the experience they have gained on projects in Turkiye to the UAE, as major government- backed infrastructure projects that include airports and railways move into tendering.
At the same time, UAE investments in Turkiye’s energy and financial sectors are growing, with notable examples including Emirates NBD’s investment in DenizBank and International Holding Company’s investment in Kalyon Energy.
These investments show that on a macro level, the UAE and Turkiye are complementary economies, with each holding a different mix of resources, capital and expertise. The strategic location of both countries amplifies the business case for trade even further.
READ THE JULY 2025 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF
UAE and Turkiye expand business links; Renewed hope lies on the horizon for trouble-beset Levant region; Gulf real estate momentum continues even as concerns emerge
Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the July 2025 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
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> AGENDA: UAE-Turkiye trade gains momentum
> INTERVIEW 1: Building on UAE-Turkiye trade
> INTERVIEW 2: Turkiye's Kalyon goes global
> INTERVIEW 3: Strengthening UAE-Turkiye financial links
> INTERVIEW 4: Turkish Airlines plans further growth
> CURRENT AFFAIRS: Middle East tensions could reduce gas investments
> GCC REAL ESTATE: Gulf real estate faces a more nuanced reality
> PROJECTS MARKET: GCC projects market collapses
> INTERVIEW 5: Hassan Allam eyes role in Saudi Arabia’s transformation
> INTERVIEW 6: Aseer region seeks new investments for Saudi Arabia
> LEADERSHIP: Nuclear power makes a global comeback
> LEVANT MARKET FOCUS: Levant states wrestle regional pressures
> GULF PROJECTS INDEX: Gulf projects index continues climb
> CONTRACT AWARDS: Mena contract award activity remains subdued
> ECONOMIC DATA: Data drives regional projects
> OPINION: A farcical tragedy that no one can end
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