ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan traveled Monday to the United Arab Emirates.
Erdogan arrived in Abu Dhabi, the Emirati capital, following a November visit to Turkey by Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Sheikh Mohammed, also Abu Dhabi's crown prince, greeted Erdogan and oversaw an honor-guard welcome for the Turkish president at the Al-Watan Palace.
Before taking off from Turkey, Erdogan said he hopes his visit advances the "big potential” of trade between the countries. The UAE is an important economic market for Turkey and home to many Turkish citizens. He also said Sheikh Mohammed's earlier visit represented a "new phase” of relations between the nations.
The UAE agreed in January to a currency swap deal equivalent to $4.74 billion to boost Turkey’s depleted foreign exchange reserves. During Sheikh Mohammed's visit to Turkey last fall, Emirati officials said the UAE would set aside $10 billion for investment in Turkey.
