DPM Zahid Pays Courtesy Call On President Erdogan, Targeting US$10 Billion Bilateral Trade By 2030

ISTANBUL, Nov 6 – Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi paid a courtesy call on Turkiye President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on Friday, November 6, 2026, focusing on deepening bilateral relations and expanding trade cooperation.

The 30-minute meeting took place at the Istanbul Congress Centre (ICC) following Erdogan’s official launch of the TRT World Forum 2026, prior to Ahmad Zahid attending a session titled “Turkiye From Regional Power to Multi-Regional Actor”.

During their discussions, both leaders agreed to elevate the Malaysia-Turkiye bilateral trade target to US$10 billion by 2030, building upon the US$5.6 billion achieved in 2025 following the inaugural High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) meeting held in Ankara in January.

Ahmad Zahid highlighted Malaysia’s role as the coordinating country for ASEAN-Turkiye relations, emphasizing commitments to expand strategic cooperation under Turkiye’s status as ASEAN’s 12th Sectoral Dialogue Partner.

He also commended Turkiye’s active diplomatic involvement in regional peace initiatives across Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine, as well as its mediation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict through the “Istanbul Process”. The meeting also covered joint diplomatic efforts alongside Pakistan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia to de-escalate US-Iran tensions. Additionally, Ahmad Zahid expressed Malaysia’s firm backing for Turkiye as host of the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya on November 11–12.

Earlier in the day, Ahmad Zahid received a courtesy call from Turkiye’s Council of Higher Education (YOK) President Prof. Dr. Erol Ozvar and held a bilateral meeting with Turkiye Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz at the ICC.

The Deputy Prime Minister is on a four-day working visit to Turkiye from November 5 to 8, 2026, to participate in the TRT World Forum, themed “A World Without a Center: Who Leads When the Rules Run Out?”

Bilateral Trade Targets, Diplomatic Priorities, and Forum Itinerary

Key trade metrics, diplomatic focus areas, and event parameters include:

• Bilateral Trade Target: Elevated to US$10 billion by 2030 (up from US$5.6 billion in 2025) under the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council framework.
• Regional & Multilateral Roles: Malaysia coordinating ASEAN-Turkiye relations; support expressed for Turkiye hosting COP31 in Antalya (Nov 11–12).
• Peace & Conflict Mediation: Commended Turkiye’s “Istanbul Process” for Russia-Ukraine, interventions in Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine, and joint US-Iran de-escalation initiatives.
• High-Level Engagements: Meetings with President Erdogan, Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, and YOK President Prof. Dr. Erol Ozvar.

–NMT