His Excellency Dr Ömer Bolat, Minister of Trade of the Republic of Türkiye, received His Excellency Mr Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), on the sidelines of His Excellency the Secretary General's participation in the 9th Istanbul Mediation Conference.
The meeting took place on Friday, 23 October 2026, in Istanbul, Republic of Türkiye.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed the latest developments regarding the ongoing negotiations on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the GCC and the Republic of Türkiye, and the progress achieved in this context.
Furthermore, they reviewed the upcoming steps aimed at fulfilling the necessary requirements to finalise the agreement, leading up to its signing and entry into force.
Both sides emphasised the importance of cementing efforts and working to overcome all obstacles. They noted that the prospective FTA represents a significant milestone in the trajectory of GCC-Turkish economic relations, as it will provide qualitative opportunities to expand commercial exchange, stimulate mutual investments, and bolster economic connectivity between the GCC and Turkish markets.