Sanchez stresses the importance of the comprehensive partnership with Turkey in the framework of economic recovery

Ankara (Turkey)

The president of the Government of Spain underlined: "The bilateral relationship between Spain and Turkey has reached an extraordinary degree of maturity in an almost natural way, which has extended to a wide range of economic sectors and areas of our social and cultural life. The governments accompany it, promoting this friendship, and we are therefore pleased to be able to continue deepening a framework of global and cross-cutting relations".

Good relations were evident this summer when Spain sent two seaplanes and a transport plane to help extinguish more than 100 fires in southern Turkey.

Spain and Turkey collaborate on defence matters in NATO, something that, as Sánchez pointed out, "identifies us as allies and defines our common approach to continental security". In fact, Spain contributes to the security of the Alliance and Turkey's eastern border with the Patriot anti-missile device. In this context, the president stressed his "pride in the work that successive Spanish contingents have been doing".

Sánchez and Erdoğan discussed preparations for the next NATO Summit, which Spain will host in June 2022. During this high-level meeting in Madrid, the Alliance will renew its Strategic Concept. "For the success of this summit, the voice of a member such as Turkey, a European but non-EU member, and of the southern flank, such as Spain, will be especially relevant," Sánchez pointed out.

Spain, which is committed to a positive European agenda with Turkey, continues to support its status as a candidate country for EU membership. Indeed, the President of the Government of Spain played a leading role in the efforts that managed to defuse the recent tension in the Eastern Mediterranean.

In this sense, Sánchez stressed that "Turkey is not just a neighbour, but an essential partner and ally for the European Union". For this reason, Sánchez has encouraged "perseverance in the effort for this progressive rapprochement", and has offered to work together for this agenda to move forwards.

Economic and cultural relations

Foto: Pool Moncloa/Fernando CalvoSpain and Turkey maintain intense economic relations that have improved in recent years, from a trade balance of 6.8 billion euros in 2010 to an all-time high of 13 billion euros in 2019. Likewise, the stock of Spanish investment in Turkey has grown from 906 million euros in 2007 to 5.345 billion euros in 2019, and there are more than 600 Spanish companies established in Turkey.

The President of the Government of Spain stressed that "in both countries, recovery is underway". In fact, in Spain, the latest data on social security affiliation for mid-November that was made public today, with 19,756,726 workers, "once again set record highs" and exceed, with half a million more affiliates, the levels prior to the pandemic in February 2020.

Spanish and Turkish companies show interest in each other's culture, which is reflected in the large number of tourists they both receive from each other, and in the attention given to the activities of the Cervantes Institute in Istanbul and the Yunus Emre Centre in Madrid.

"We are two extremes of the Mediterranean, two areas of confluence. And our governments have been hand in hand on the international stage for years, in defence of the intercultural and inter-religious dialogue values," stressed President Sánchez. One example of this is that both countries are driving forces behind the Alliance of Civilisations, a UN-sponsored initiative to combat religious and cultural conflicts.

The President of the Government of Spain concluded his speech by pointing out that this Summit allows Spain and Turkey to demonstrate "the common purpose of promoting the enormous interaction between our people and companies, leaving behind the impact of the pandemic", as well as "laying new foundations to continue building a shared future".

The summit, chaired by Sánchez and Erdoğan, will be attended by the Second Vice-President of the Government of Spain and Minister for Work and Social Economy, Yolanda Díaz; the Third Vice-President of the Government of Spain and Minister for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, Teresa Ribera; the Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares; the Minister for Defence, Margarita Robles; the Minister for Home Affairs, Fernando Grande-Marlaska; and the Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism, Reyes Maroto plus their Turkish counterparts.

Agreements reached during the Summit

Foto: Pool Moncloa/Fernando CalvoDuring the Summit, a Joint Declaration was agreed which demonstrates the excellent state of relations between the two countries, and which sets out in detail the cooperation in the areas discussed in the bilateral sectoral meetings. The importance of the ambitious initiatives was underlined by the signing of five Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) on renewable energy, water, sport, science and collaboration in the fight against natural disasters; and a Declaration of Intent on labour.

The Declaration of Intent, signed by the Second Vice-President, aims to open up new areas of technical cooperation in the fields of employment, industrial relations, labour inspection and health and safety at work.

Vice-President Ribera signed an MoU to promote cooperation in renewable energies and energy efficiency, with a special focus on technologies and resources based on wind, solar, hydroelectric and renewable fuels, and another to strengthen the protection, development and management of water resources, through the exchange of information, experiences and technologies.

With regard to Home Affairs, Grande-Marlaska signed a Memorandum of Understanding on management, prevention work, support for access control, evacuations and investigations of disasters and emergencies.

Spain and Turkey will also cooperate on sports and science through two MoU initialled by Minister Albares on behalf of the ministers in this field. The Memorandum on sport aims to combat doping; promote sport for people with disabilities; the protection of young athletes, the fight against harassment and discrimination; and the promotion of women in sport. The science MoU aims to strengthen cooperation in polar science in both the Arctic and Antarctic by facilitating the exchange of researchers, participation in joint projects and expeditions, and the use of each other's Antarctic facilities.

Non official translation