Türkiye and Saudi Arabia have signed a strategic cooperation in the field of transport. During the visit of Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu to Saudi Arabia, a meeting was held with Minister of Transport and Logistics Services Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, where a "Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Railway Sector" and a "Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Logistics Services" were signed.
Uraloğlu: "Removing Obstacles Before the Transport Sector is a Strategic Necessity"
Speaking at the meeting, Minister Uraloğlu emphasised that ensuring the uninterrupted operation of trade and the logistics chain has become more critical than ever during the sensitive period the region is going through. Stating that "Removing the obstacles before the transport sector in this period is a strategic necessity," Uraloğlu recalled that the annual number of mutual transports by road between the two countries reached 20,000 before 2012.
Minister Uraloğlu noted that although they have fallen behind this figure due to regional developments, the aim is to take cooperation even beyond that period. Stating that they are closely monitoring developments on the Syria-Jordan-Iraq routes, Uraloğlu said, "Two trial runs starting from Türkiye through Iraq extending to Saudi Arabia have clearly demonstrated the feasibility of this route."
Transit Transport and the Gateway to the Gulf
Drawing attention to the fact that recent developments in the region have increased the importance of uninterrupted road networks, Minister Uraloğlu stated that transit transport between the two countries offers access to Europe and the Gulf region. Uraloğlu said, "We believe that developing transit transport alongside our bilateral transports is important," expressing that operating the transit network at full capacity and in a facilitated manner would accelerate commercial flow as well as make significant contributions to regional logistics integration and the prosperity of the Gulf geography.
Minister Uraloğlu also emphasised the great importance of establishing a motorway connection for a safe and stable road network between the two countries. Touching upon the importance of creating a future-oriented calendar with joint work involving regional countries, Uraloğlu expressed his belief that establishing a direct railway connection between the two countries is of critical importance. Uraloğlu also emphasised cooperation in high-speed train systems and railway rolling stock.
Two Memoranda of Understanding in Railway and Logistics
The "Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Logistics Services," signed after the meeting, aims to develop logistics centres' construction, operation and management of services, experience sharing, and joint activities.
The "Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Railway Sector" offers a much more comprehensive framework. Within the scope of the agreement, cooperation will be carried out in the fields of railway technical specifications, technologies and innovation, signalling and communication systems and railway digitalisation, reducing the environmental impact of the railway sector, railway engineering and infrastructure applications, safety and security systems, research and development activities, and information sharing.
Furthermore, joint work will also be carried out in developing partnerships between specialised training academies in the railway field, temporary assignments of experts and innovators, experience sharing on the localisation of the railway industry and its sub-industries, and regulatory frameworks and legislation.
A New Market for the Turkish Railway Industry
These two agreements stand out as a concrete step in Türkiye's strategy to deepen transport integration with the Gulf region. The memorandum of understanding in the railway sector, in particular, could pave the way for Türkiye's domestic railway industry to take part in Saudi Arabia's large-scale infrastructure projects. TÜRASAŞ's domestic high-speed train, which recently reached 240 km/h, along with domestic signalling systems and railway vehicles, could be positioned as natural suppliers for this cooperation.
Minister Uraloğlu outlined the long-term perspective of the cooperation, stating, "I believe we will bring our joint work in every field of the railway sector, from infrastructure modernisation to operational experiences, under an institutional framework."
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