On Wednesday, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will make his first trip to Turkey in years to meet with President Tayyip Erdogan in an effort to totally mend relations that were strained following the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The visit represents a step in Prince Mohammed’s drive to improve his reputation outside of the Gulf and comes as Erdogan looks for financial assistance that could help Turkey’s struggling economy in advance of close presidential elections.
After a months-long effort to improve ties between the regional powers, including dropping the Turkish trial over Khashoggi’s murder in Istanbul in 2018, Erdogan met with Prince Mohammed in person in April in Saudi Arabia.
Erdogan stated last week that during meetings in Ankara, he and the de facto ruler of Riyadh would talk about “to what much higher level” their ties can be taken.
According to a senior Turkish official who spoke to Reuters under the condition of anonymity, the visit is anticipated to bring ‘a full normalisation and a restoration of the pre-crisis period.’ There will be a new era.
The crown prince was to be greeted by Erdogan for meetings in the afternoon at the presidential palace. There are no planned public statements.
According to the Turkish official, there are no longer any trade, travel, or TV series screening limitations between the two nations, and unfavourable media coverage between them has also stopped.
During the visit, agreements on energy, the economy, and security will be inked; also, a strategy was being developed for Saudi funds to enter Turkey’s capital markets.
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