Venezuela and Turkey reaffirm bilateral ties and solidarity with Palestine

Caracas, May 25, 2024 (venuzuelanalysis.com) The Venezuelan government has signed nine cooperation agreements with Turkey to consolidate the country's strategic partnership.

Speaking after the 4th meeting of the Turkey-Venezuela Joint Cooperation Commission held in Ankara from May 21 to 23, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvn Gil announced that the agreements aim to strengthen joint initiatives in the areas of agriculture, health and medical sciences, tourism, education and aviation. , trade, petrochemicals, energy and economy.

President [Recep Tayyip] Erdoan and President Nicols Maduro have built a model relationship based on solidarity, honesty and complementarity. Venezuela is Turkey's most reliable partner in Latin America and we are working [advancing in] this direction, said Gil on Thursday during a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan.

The Venezuelan minister clarified that the allied countries agreed to organize the second Turkish Export Products Fair in Venezuela from September 26 to 28 as part of efforts to increase trade from 800 million US dollars recorded in 2023 to some $3 billion by the end of this year.

Furthermore, Gil announced the creation of a joint Chamber of Commerce and an alliance to develop the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) of Caribbean countries. SEZs are zones subject to exceptional rules and regulations oriented towards a given economic activity, from industry to tourism, while favoring imports, exports or technological development.

During his speech in Ankara, the Venezuelan diplomat recalled that despite American sanctions, his country was moving towards “full economic and political stability through strategic partnerships with allied countries, highlighting the last years of cooperation with Turkey” .

This year we will experience the largest growth in Latin America. We could achieve 10 percent GDP growth. If [US] sanctions were not an obstacle, growth would be much higher,” insured Gil. He also acknowledged Turkey's continued opposition to the US blockade against the Latin American nation.

The country delegations also pledged to collaborate on issues related to human rights, scholarships and educational programs, biotechnology, renewable energy and artificial intelligence, as well as cultural exchanges through the joint production of plays, films and television series.

The parties committed to follow through on the agreements reached and to hold the fifth meeting of the Joint Cooperation Commission in Venezuela in 2026.

For his part, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Ankara would continue to firmly oppose unilateral sanctions against Venezuela while deepening bilateral relations. “Our relationship with Venezuela is at the heart of our engagement with Latin America and the Caribbean,” he said. stress.

Fidan also highlighted the two countries' consensus on international issues, particularly their opposition to the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza. He said Ankara and Caracas would continue to join diplomatic efforts to achieve international recognition of the Palestinian state.

“The growing number of countries recognizing Palestine is gradually isolating Israel and its supporters. » Express Fidan, promising that Turkey's humanitarian aid to Gaza residents will continue uninterrupted.

Gil of Venezuela also demanded punishment for crimes against humanity committed in that region and reaffirmed the Maduro government's support for the liberation of Palestine.

Venezuela and Turkey established diplomatic relations 73 years ago, but strengthened their political and economic alliance under the governments of Hugo Chvez (1999-2013) and Nicols Maduro. Efforts to increase trade and strengthen ties on international issues have advanced in recent years as Caracas has relied on its partners to circumvent U.S. sanctions.

On May 13, President Maduro sign the Legislative Agreement on the Promotion and Reciprocal Protection of Investments to Facilitate Economic Integration and Cooperation between Venezuela and Turkey.

“It is a law that places us on a higher scale for relations and investments, in addition to trade with our sister Republic of Turkey,” Maduro said during his weekly podcast.