Pedro Sánchez: "Turkey and Spain have a common past, a dynamic and ambitious present and a promising future"

Moncloa Palace, Madrid

Family photo from the 8th Spain-Turkey Intergovernmental Summit (Pool Moncloa / Fernando Calvo)

Spain hosted this regular bilateral summit three years after the previous one was held in Ankara, where the two countries raised their bilateral relations to the level of 'Comprehensive Partnership', one of the few countries with which Spain maintains this instrument.

Representing the Government of Spain at the High-Level Meeting were the Second Vice-President and Minister for Work and Social Economy, Yolanda Díaz; the Third Vice-President and Minister for Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera; the Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares; the Minister for Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente; the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas; the Minister for Economy, Trade and Enterprise, Carlos Cuerpo; the Minister for Science, Innovation and Universities, Diana Morant, and the Minister for Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, Elma Saiz. The Turkish ministerial delegation also included the Minister for Family and Social Services, the Minister for Energy and Resources, the Minister for Finance and Treasury, the Minister for Industry and Technology, the Minister for Agriculture and Forestry and the Minister for Trade.

Turkey, a partner, friend and ally

Bilateral meeting between the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, and the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in Moncloa Palace | Pool Moncloa / José Manuel Álvarez

The President of the Government of Spain highlighted the excellent state of bilateral relations between the two countries. "Turkey and Spain are friends, partners and allies with important cultural, social and economic exchanges". Proof of this is the joint declaration they have signed, which follows on from the one signed in 2021, and refers to the good state of bilateral relations and harmony in the perception of global issues, such as the war in Gaza, and establishes the objective of reaching €25 billion per year in trade exchanges in the next five years.

They also highlighted the value of the Alliance of Civilisations, an international instrument of the UN, of which Spain and Turkey were founders more than 20 years ago, and which aims to combat prejudice and polarisation through cooperation, the fight against inequality and cultural dialogue.

Another aspect of the bilateral meeting between the two leaders was the intense collaboration between the two countries on security and defence issues, both inside and outside NATO. Pedro Sánchez stressed that Spain has maintained a Patriot anti-aircraft battery in Turkey for years, under the NATO flag, and that it will continue to contribute to the defence of this allied country.

In this respect, the President of the Government stressed that Spain is one of Turkey's main supporters in its rapprochement with the EU, highlighting the role that Spain played under the Presidency of the Council of the EU in establishing a positive agenda to relaunch dialogue on strategic issues such as migration, customs agreements and energy.

Pedro Sánchez and Recep Tayyip Erdogan also discussed the main international scenarios, about which Spain and Turkey share their concern and the desire to contribute efficiently to the search for solutions. The president stressed that both countries are committed to a strong international institutionality, with the UN at its core, which will serve to jointly confront these global challenges. On the Middle East conflict, the two countries agree on the urgent need for a permanent ceasefire, the entry of humanitarian aid and the release of hostages.

In this regard, Pedro Sánchez has defended that the two-state solution for Israel and Palestine- recognised by both Spain and Turkey - is urgently needed to make coexistence in peace a real possibility.

In relation to Ukraine, the President of the Government stressed that the two countries have a similar vision, pointing to the recent signing of the Security Agreement between Spain and Ukraine. Pedro Sánchez also acknowledged the role of Turkey, which has achieved important agreements on prisoner exchanges, the signing of the grain agreements and the protection measures and nuclear facilities in Ukraine.

13 Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) to strengthen co-operation

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, presides over together with the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the signing of bilateral agreements of the High Level Meeting between Spain and Turkey | Pool Moncloa / Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

In parallel to Sánchez's bilateral meeting with Erdogan, the ministers of the Government of Spain met with their Turkish counterparts to address various sectoral issues and adopt the thirteen MOUs, which will strengthen cooperation relations in economic, trade and business matters, through ICEX, CESCE and COFIDES. Two other MOUs have been signed in the field of energy transition and the environment, two more in the field of scientific and technological cooperation, one between the Instituto Cervantes and its counterpart, the Yunus Emre, and four others in the field of cooperation in social policy and social services, action between public employment services, vocational training and maritime transport licences.

In this context, the president underlined the cultural and scientific collaboration, highlighting that Spain is the main partner of Turkish R&D&I institutions in the EU's Framework Programme.

Boosting trade and investment relations

At the beginning of the day, the President of the Government and the President of Turkey opened the Business Forum, a central element of the High-Level Meeting that brought together representatives from the business world of the two countries. The meeting was an opportunity to strengthen synergies and alliances between Spanish and Turkish companies, especially in the fields of infrastructure, green transition and digital transformation. In this regard, Pedro Sánchez stressed that economic and trade ties between the two countries are constantly growing, and that Turkey is a key economic partner for Spain.

Spain is Turkey's fourth largest supplier and fourth largest customer in the EU; and Turkey is a preferential destination for Spanish investment, which contributes to economic growth and the generation of quality employment. The president also pointed out that there are already more than 700 Spanish companies operating in Turkey. Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended the business meeting accompanied by a Turkish delegation of more than 150 companies, a sign of the increased presence and interest of Turkish companies in Spain.

During the Business Forum, a MOU was also signed for the constitution of a Spanish-Turkish business committee, which in the case of Spain will be chaired by BBVA. In parallel to the Business Forum, a specific meeting was organised by the Ministry of Defence, which brought together Spanish and Turkish defence industry companies to promote the growing reciprocal business opportunities for this sector.

Non official translation