ANKARA, Jun 9 (NNN-ANADOLU) – Türkiye President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and his visiting Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro, yesterday pledged to enhance cooperation between the two countries.
“There is a wide cooperation potential between Venezuela and Türkiye, especially in trade, energy, mining, construction business, health, agriculture and tourism,” Erdogan said, at a joint press conference with Maduro in the capital, Ankara.
The two economies are complementary, holding various opportunities for new cooperation and mutual investments, he added.
Trade between Türkiye and Venezuela, which increased to 850 million U.S. dollars in 2021, will likely reach one billion dollars this year, and aims at three billion dollars annually, as soon as possible, according to Erdogan.
Speaking of a memorandum of understanding, signed yesterday, Erdogan said, this has strengthened “the legal infrastructure” of the Türkiye-Venezuela relations.
Calling Venezuela “a friendly country,” the president said he “opposes sanctions against Venezuela” and Türkiye will stand by the country “from now onward.”
Maduro, for his part, expressed gratitude to Türkiye on behalf of his people.
“In times of greatest uncertainty, in the most difficult moments and at the time of the pandemic, Türkiye has always been by our side and supportive of us,” the Venezuelan president said.
He invited investors from Türkiye into Venezuela’s tourism, mining, industry, logistics, banking, oil, gold and coal, assuring them of all legal and political guarantees.
Türkiye has continued its trade with Venezuela, despite sanctions by the U.S. on the country.
Venezuela sells gold to Türkiye, in return for Türkiye exports to the country.– NNN-ANADOLU
