Turkey seeks more Qatari investments: Vice president

ANKARA

Turkey hopes to increase the number of Qatari businesspeople in Turkey, especially in the tourism, food, health and industry sectors, the country's vice president said on Friday.

Turkey is ready to do its share to pave the way for investors, Fuat Oktay stressed during the Qatar-Turkey Business Forum, in the capital Ankara.

He underlined that the two countries' bilateral trade volume rose 84% in the last decade to reach $2.3 billion in 2018.

"Given the deep ties of brotherhood between our countries, it is clear that these figures are far from the potential," he said.

He added: "As long as we are aware of this brotherhood, there can be no obstacles for the bilateral trade volume to reach far beyond the target."

The Turkish economy, the sixth-largest in Europe and 17th in the world, continues to raise its exports and strengthen foreign trade despite trade wars and uncertainties in the global economy, he noted.

He stressed that Turkey jumped 10 places to be the 33rd country in the World Bank's recent annual report on ease of doing business, as a result of the country's reforms aiming to increase foreign direct investments and ease small and medium-sized businesses.

Referring to the 2022 World Cup to be organized in Qatar, he said services such as security, cyber defense and smart city systems could be provided by Turkish companies.

The two countries should cooperate together against all kinds of sanctions and embargoes, he added.

- Turkish private sector important for Qatar's economy

Ruhsar Pekcan, the Turkish trade minister, invited Qatari investors to benefit from Turkey's dynamic economy.

Qatari investments totaled $6.3 billion in Turkey, she said, welcoming a decision by Doha to invest $15 billion in Turkey.

She underlined that Turkish contractors undertook 146 projects, worth $17 billion, in Qatar so far.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Qatari prime minister, said the two countries could join forces to enter new markets.

The Turkish private sectors' role is very important in developing Qatar's national economy, he added.

*Writing by Gokhan Ergocun from Istanbul