Turkey-Italy Business Forum
Alongside the visit, a business forum was organized bringing together representatives from the business communities of Türkiye and Italy. The aim of the forum was to enhance direct contact between entrepreneurs of the two countries and to expand economic cooperation into new sectors.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended the Turkey-Italy Business Forum and delivered messages on economic cooperation. The forum was jointly organized by the Ministry of Trade, the Council of Foreign Economic Relations (DEİK), the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Italian Trade Agency.
In his speech, President Erdoğan said, “We are implementing our economic program with determination. We are committed to improving the investment environment and implementing structural reforms.” He noted that the Turkish economy has continued to grow despite regional conflicts, wars, and the 2023 earthquakes, emphasizing that the reconstruction process has progressed rapidly despite post-earthquake costs reaching $150 billion.
Erdoğan stated that Türkiye’s exports reached a record $262 billion in 2024 and that nearly $27 billion in foreign direct investment has been attracted over the past 20 years. He highlighted that defense industry exports have reached $7.15 billion and that Türkiye has doubled its share of global exports.
Erdoğan also underscored the development of economic ties with Italy, saying, “The trade volume, which stood at $17.3 billion in 2020, surpassed $32 billion in 2024.” He announced that during the summit, a medium-term target of $40 billion in bilateral trade was set together with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Erdoğan called on Italian investors to increase investments in Türkiye and Turkish investors to do the same in Italy.
At the forum, Erdoğan also drew attention to issues such as visa matters, the updating of the Customs Union, and support for investors, telling the business community, “We have removed barriers and continue to do so. We have always been encouraging and will remain so.” Similarly, Italian Prime Minister Meloni, in her address at the forum, described strategic cooperation with Türkiye as a “partnership and friendship relationship within the Mediterranean-Europe context.”
President Erdoğan’s Meeting with Italian President Mattarella
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with Italian President Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinal Palace in Rome, the capital of Italy, within the framework of the 4th Turkey-Italy Intergovernmental Summit. The meeting took place after the summit sessions and was held behind closed doors.
According to a statement issued by the Presidency of Communications, the meeting covered bilateral relations between Türkiye and Italy, existing cooperation opportunities, as well as regional and global developments. President Erdoğan expressed Türkiye’s determination to advance cooperation with Italy and increase bilateral trade volume.
The meeting also addressed regional conflicts, including the Ukraine-Russia war and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. President Erdoğan stated that Türkiye will continue doing its utmost to achieve a lasting ceasefire and then lasting peace in these regions. A key focus of the meeting was Türkiye’s resolve to continue its diplomatic efforts to address crises in the Middle East and the Black Sea region.
Joint Statement of the 4th Turkey-Italy Intergovernmental Summit
Following the 4th Turkey-Italy Intergovernmental Summit, the Presidency of Communications issued a joint statement emphasizing commitments to deepen multifaceted cooperation between the two countries. The statement noted that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni co-chaired the summit in Rome and aimed to strengthen cooperation within the frameworks of NATO and the G20.
The parties expressed satisfaction that bilateral trade volume had exceeded $30 billion as of 2024 and agreed on a medium-term target to raise this figure to $40 billion. It was also decided that the third meeting of the Joint Economic and Trade Commission (JETCO) will be held in Türkiye in the last quarter of 2025.
The joint statement aims to enhance cooperation in sectors such as digital technologies, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, defense industry, transportation, and energy. The parties reached consensus that the defense industry plays a key role in both current and future relations and decided to organize the 14th Defense Industry Cooperation Meeting in 2025.
Under the heading of security, emphasis was placed on enhancing expertise and information sharing to combat transnational organized crime, terrorist financing, and cyber threats. Cooperation within the framework of Council of Europe conventions was deepened in areas such as judicial cooperation, extradition of criminals, and child protection.
The statement also set a goal to develop partnerships in energy security, clean energy sources, green transition, rare earth elements, and renewable energy projects. The parties declared their intention to advance cooperation on energy initiatives in the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions, including the Sakarya Gas Field.
On the international level, the statement affirmed coordinated diplomatic efforts on United Nations reforms, achieving a lasting ceasefire in Gaza, rebuilding Syria, and supporting Ukraine’s territorial integrity. It was also decided to relaunch the Turkey-Italy Consultations on Counter-Terrorism.
