After Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a controversial statement accusing some Gulf countries of pursuing policies that were destabilizing the region, Saudi Arabia has called for a Turkish boycott.
According to Gulf News, Saudi Arabian Chief of Chamber of Commerce, Ajlan Al Ajlan called on Saudi citizens to boycott everything and anything Turkish. He tweeted:
“The boycott of everything Turkish, whether on the level of import, investment or tourism, is the responsibility of every Saudi — trader and consumer — in response to the continued hostility of the Turkish government against our leadership, our country and our citizens.”
المقاطعة لكل ماهو تركي، سواء على مستوى الاستيراد او الاستثمار او السياحة، هي مسؤولية كل سعودي "التاجر والمستهلك"، رداً على استمرار العداء من الحكومة التركية على قيادتنا وبلدنا ومواطنينا،
— عجلان العجلان (@ajlnalajlan) October 2, 2020
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This development comes at a time when Turkey’s economy is already teetering with the Turkish lira at over 7.7 versus the US dollar. According to Reuters, the Turkish lira is one of the world’s worst-performing currencies this year, with a 22% decline.
As the coronavirus affects the global economy, including Turkey, gross foreign exchange reserves at the central bank fell by nearly half this year.
How will it cope if Saudi Arabia does target it with a Turkish boycott?
In his address to the Turkish General Assembly, Erdogan also alleged that these Gulf states in question were targeting Turkey. Adding that these newly formed states haven’t been here long, and might not be here long, but Turkey will.
“It should not be forgotten that the countries in question did not exist yesterday, and probably will not exist tomorrow; however, we will continue to keep our flag flying in this region forever, with the permission of Allah.”
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Turkey vs Saudi Arabia
The two states have been at odds since the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Turkey.
While Saudi Arabia overturned five death sentences issued after a closed-door trial for the Khashoggi murder case in Saudi Arabia last year, Turkey indicted six Saudi suspects in the Khashoggi murder case.
A Saudi court handed the convicts 20 years of prison time instead.
Meanwhile, Turkey will try its six suspects in absentia, although none of the suspects are in Turkey. 20 Saudi nationals are already on trial in an Istanbul court in the Khashoggi murder case.
