The State of Qatar and the Republic of Türkiye established bilateral relations in 1972. There has been ongoing cooperation and dialogue in regional and international issues since the 2010s, particularly in the Syrian Civil War and the Egyptian Crisis. Both countries also support the same groups in post-Gaddafi Libya. Most recently, Turkey provided diplomatic and food support to Qatar during the 2017 Qatar diplomatic crisis. Some political analysts claim that bilateral relations are mostly limited to political and military affinity, referring to the low trade volume, lack of trade agreements and absence of Turkish think tanks in Qatar.
Qatar and Turkey maintain strong military ties. Several military cooperation agreements have been signed between the two, and Turkey exports military equipment to Qatar. For instance, Turkey sold Qatar its first-ever drones in March 2012, and in April 2017, Turkish vehicle manufacturer BMC signed a deal to supply Qatar with 1,500 Amazon 4x4 armored vehicles. Turkey has a military base in Qatar, and in June 2017, Turkish parliament fast-tracked the deployment of Turkish troops in Qatar. Turkey plans to eventually station 3,000 troops on Qatari soil.
Trade relations between the two countries have witnessed rapid developments in recent years. Qatar has signed agreements with Turkey to export LNG, while several Turkish construction companies have agreements with the Qatari government, many of which are involved in 2022 FIFA World Cup projects. In September 2017, a new trade line route between Qatar and Turkey via Iran was announced, and at the same time a shipping service between Turkey's Port of Mersin and Qatar's Hamad Port was also launched.
Relations during the Ottoman period Beginning in the late 19th century, the Ottoman Empire started campaigning to incorporate the provinces of Eastern Arabia into their empire. After establishing themselves on al-Hasa coast, they advanced towards Qatar, which had come to serve as a base of operations for Bedouins who opposed Ottoman rule. In 1871, in an attempt to secure a landing for Ottoman troops, they sent an envoy bearing an Ottoman flag to the proclaimed ruler of the Qatari Peninsula, Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani. Although being of Wahhabi background, the Al Thani leader accepted and flew the flag, and by December of that year had authorised the Ottomans to send military equipment and 100 troops to Al Bidda. In January 1872, Qatar was formally incorporated into the Ottoman Empire as a province in Najd with Al Thani being appointed its kaymakam (sub-governor). Most Qataris were allowed to retain their previous positions in the new administration. The arrival of the Ottomans came three years after the end of the Qatari–Bahraini War. Until today, Turkey's relationship with Wahhabi Qatar is seen to be a special, in contrast to much-tenser relationship with fellow Wahhabi Saudi Arabia.
In 1890, the Ottomans attempted to further consolidate their influence over Qatar by imposing numerous administrative reforms, increasing taxes and stationing additional troops in their garrison at Al Bidda. This eventually led Jassim Al Thani to rebel against the Ottomans, who he believed were seeking to usurp control of the peninsula. He resigned as kaymakam and stopped paying taxes in August 1892. This, along with the March 1893 imprisonment of more than a dozen members of Qatari tribal leaders by the governor of Basra, Mehmed Hafiz Pasha, culminated in the Battle of Al Wajbah. After the Qataris defeated the Ottomans in that battle, Sultan Abdul Hamid II granted Jassim Al Thani a full pardon.
After the Young Turks assumed power in the Ottoman Empire in 1908, they declared they were renouncing their claims on Qatar on 29 July 1913. The last of the Ottoman troops in Qatar peacefully evacuated in August 1915. This move was seen as an attempt of currying the United Kingdom's favor.
Political relations Political cooperation The history of bilateral relations between Qatar and Turkey date back to the 1970s. In the 1980s, the two nations began signing bilateral agreements with one another. Bilateral relations gained further traction in the 2000s with the signing of several additional agreements. Their coordination in regional politics, particularly in the Syrian Civil War and the Egyptian Crisis has led their relation to be described as an alliance. Both countries have rejected the designation of Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist entities. In 2006, after the election of Hamas in Gaza both Turkey and Qatar claimed Hamas to be a legitimate government. This drew both countries closer on the Palestine issue.
While commenting on the turmoil in the Middle East during a joint press conference held with Qatar in December 2014, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that "together with Qatar, we always side with oppressed people around the world". Both countries have several common regional threat-perception, patronize the same regional non-state actors (including in Syria) and share similar agendas in Syria, Libya, Egypt and elsewhere.
Qatar and Turkey's alliance have translated into closer cooperation in international organizations such as the UN and OIC. It was announced that Turkey and Qatar agreed to establish a cooperation council called 'High-level Strategic Cooperation Council' on 19 January 2015. This decision was revealed after a meeting between the countries' foreign ministers Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and Khalid bin Mohammad Al Attiyah concerning the recent mutual diplomatic shifts away from Egypt since Abdel Fattah el-Sisi rose to power in 2014. The first meeting of the council took place in Doha that December, during a visit by President Erdoğan.
Following Turkish air strikes conducted in August 2015 over fighters of the PKK group in north Iraq, the Arab League released a statement denouncing Turkey's actions. However, Qatar, a member of the organization, dissociated itself from this position, and instead proclaimed its support for Turkey.
Egypt Both countries have been diplomatically involved in the Egyptian Crisis, where they mutually opposed Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's leadership. Following pro-Islamist candidate Mohammed Morsi's election victory in 2012, Turkey and Qatar supported his presidency, whereas the other five GCC nations were against his presidency. Morsi was ousted eventually in a coup d'état in 2013, provoking condemnation by Turkey. Qatar, on the other hand, while not directly criticizing the coup d'état, was the only GCC nation to denounce the excessive use of force against civilians.
In a 2016 interview with Al Jazeera, President Erdoğan strongly condemned Egypt's leader Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, saying that he has "killed thousands of his own people". Qatar and Turkey have both been pressed by the other GCC states to improve their ties with Egypt. Sisi declared on 14 June 2017, just 9 days after the start of the 2017 Qatari diplomatic crisis, that the group of countries boycotting Qatar should also target Turkey.
Syria Qatar and Turkey share similar positions on the Syrian Civil War. The two formed a single bloc in the Civil War and supported the same rebel groups, including Tahrir al-Sham Islamist alliance, Ahrar al-Sham and Al-Nusra Front. One prominent opposition group funded by both Turkey and Qatar is the pro-Islamist Syrian National Council.
In 2018, spokeswoman of Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affair said that Turkey's invasion of northern Syria aimed at ousting U.S.-backed Syrian Kurds from the enclave of Afrin was motivated by "legitimate concerns related to its national security and the security of its borders, in addition to protecting Syria's territorial integrity from the danger of secession." She also added that "Turkey, a NATO member, has always been a stabilizing factor in the region."
Qatar announced its support for the 2019 Turkish offensive into north-eastern Syria.
Libya Turkey and Qatar both backed the pro-Islamist General National Congress in Libya. In January 2015, a Libyan army official accused Turkey and Qatar of funneling arms to Islamist political factions in Libya via Sudan.
Muslim Brotherhood factor Both Qatar and Turkey overtly provides region-wide support for Muslim Brotherhood. Muslim Brotherhood's web of network in the region is something Qatar is using to project its influence internationally and compete with other regional players, while Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (otherwise known as AK Party) promotes a mix of democracy and Islam like that of the Brotherhood. In 2014, when Doha asked several Brotherhood exiles to leave Qatar due to the pressure from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf States, Turkey decided to host these exiles.
2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt
When elements of the Turkish military attempted a military coup in July 2016, Qatar became the first country whose leader called President Erdoğan in a show of solidarity. Qatar also strongly denounced the coup, saying it breached Turkey's constitutional legitimacy. It was claimed by some media outlets that 150 Qatari elite special forces troops were deployed in Turkey shortly after the attempt to watch over the president.
2017 Qatari diplomatic crisis
Turkey supported Qatar in its diplomatic confrontation with a Saudi and Emirati-led bloc of countries that severed ties with and imposed sanctions on Qatar on 5 June 2017. Turkish President Erdoğan criticized the list of demands released by the countries on 22 June, stating that they undermine Qatar's sovereignty. Because the boycotting nations highlight Qatar's support for the Muslim Brotherhood as one of the primary reasons for their sanctions, siding with Qatar was the most logical choice for Turkey's leadership, which also supports the Muslim Brotherhood.
On August 26, Turkey said that it had intercepted five hackers suspected of engineering the diplomatic crisis by inserting false and provocative statements on Qatar News Agency's website in late-May.
The Saudi-led blockade has led to closer cooperation and improved ties between Turkey and Iran, the other major power supporting Qatar's position.
The 2017–2021 Saudi-led blockade demonstrates how a small state can exercise influence through derivative power - the ability to enhance its own power by leveraging a close relationship with a stronger partner. Rather than being a passive recipient of Turkish support, Qatar developed the strategic partnership with Türkiye by deploying Turkish military troops, and promoting economic, and diplomatic relation. Turkey also helped Qatar by providing essential goods.
Diplomatic visits High level visits have given a new momentum to the bilateral relations between the two countries. The visit of Qatari emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani to Turkey on 25–26 December 2001 paved the way drawing the legal framework of economic and military cooperation through the signing of a number of protocols. These protocols included the Agreement on Prevention of Double Taxation, the Agreement on Reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Investments, and the Cooperation Agreement on Military Fields.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan paid several official visits to Qatar. His first visit to Qatar was in 2005; this was followed by visits in 2008, 2010, 2011, and 2012.
Turkey's President Abdullah Gül, accompanied by the Minister of Finance, Minister of Energy, Minister of Public Work and Settlement, and a large group of businessmen, paid official visits to Qatar in February and April 2008. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also visited Qatar in April 2008, and gave a key speech at the Doha Forum on Democracy, Development and Free Trade. He also held talks with Qatar's Emir, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister concerning economic agreements. The Foreign Minister and Prime Minister of Qatar paid return visits to Turkey in 2008, during which the 1st Turkish-Qatari Business Forum was held.