Türkiye-Saudi Arabia Ties: Logistics & Mining Collaboration

In an April 2026 interview with Anadolu Agency in Istanbul, Saudi Arabia’s Minister for Industry and Mineral Resources, Bandar Alkhorayef, characterized the relationship between Riyadh and Ankara as “strategic.” Amid ongoing regional disruptions, particularly the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, both nations are rapidly shifting their focus toward land-based logistics. A major highlight of this cooperation is the Türkiye-Arabian Peninsula Railway Project, which is slated for completion by the end of 2026. This railway will connect Saudi Arabia to Türkiye via Jordan and Syria, bypassing maritime bottlenecks and creating a sustainable land transport corridor that enhances the competitiveness of regional exports.

Mining and Industry: The Pillars of Economic Diversification

The partnership is increasingly centered on the mining and industrial sectors, as Saudi Arabia leverages its estimated $2.4 trillion in mineral wealth. Minister Alkhorayef noted that Türkiye’s diversified industrial base is a perfect match for the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals. Recent high-level meetings between Alkhorayef and Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar at the OECD Critical Minerals Forum in Istanbul have solidified plans for mutual investment in mineral supply chains. The Kingdom aims to increase the mining sector’s contribution to its GDP to $75 billion by 2035, viewing Turkish technical expertise and intermediate manufacturing as essential to achieving this target.

Saudi Arabia’s Industrial Push Delivering Record Results

The strategic pivot is already showing tangible economic benefits. Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports achieved a historic high in 2025, reaching $166.4 billion (SAR 624 billion), a 15% increase from the previous year. This growth is driven by:

• Infrastructure Development: Massive investments in national factories and logistics hubs.

• Trade Facilitation: The activation of a transit trade route through Saudi Arabia to keep Turkish goods moving despite Gulf maritime closures.

• Workforce Evolution: Aligning industrial growth with “future skills” to create high-quality jobs for the younger generation in both nations.

   

As the regional transport integration deepens, the Saudi-Türkiye land-sea bridge is expected to become a permanent fixture of global supply chains, linking Mediterranean ports in Türkiye with Red Sea logistics

source: trtworld