Published January 08,2026

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Europe’s largest wide-body aircraft engine maintenance center will be established at Istanbul Airport, in collaboration with Rolls-Royce, the Turkish transport minister announced Thursday.

“Through our collaboration with Rolls-Royce, we will become Europe’s largest wide-body aircraft engine maintenance center. We expect our facility to reach an annual engine maintenance capacity of 200, generating $1.5 billion in annual revenue for Turkish Airlines,” Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said during the groundbreaking ceremony in Istanbul.

Uraloğlu said that with the total investment value exceeding 100 billion Turkish liras ($2.32 billion) across eight locations, primarily Istanbul Airport, eight mega projects were initiated, including the world’s largest in-flight catering facility and the second phase of SmartIST, the world’s largest air cargo terminal.

Uraloğlu pointed out that, thanks to a special concession from Rolls-Royce, high-tech repairs could be carried out in Türkiye, emphasizing that these repairs would generate over $2.5 billion in additional revenue within 22 years.

The project will create a total of 1,000 new jobs, including over 900 qualified technical personnel, and this employment will increase the skilled workforce in Türkiye’s aviation sector and provide young people with global-level experience, according to Uraloğlu.

“These investments are not just facilities; they are tangible symbols of Türkiye’s determined rise in global aviation leadership, the momentum it adds to our economy, and our vision for the future. As you know, our country has one of the most advantageous geographical locations in the world, strategically situated in the middle of the Afro-Eurasian geography, that is, between the continents of Asia, Europe, and Africa, known as the old world landmasses,” he said.

The minister said that they have made a groundbreaking leap in the skies with this project, and mentioned that Turkish Airlines, the flag carrier, opened a new chapter at the pinnacle of aviation.

Uraloğlu said that the country has made it a tradition to raise the flag of aviation higher every new year. “On January 4, with 2,177 transit flights, we broke the all-time record, surpassing the previous record of 1,906 flights recorded on August 31, 2025,” he added.

Uraloğlu said that the total air traffic reached more than 2.5 million in 2025, and noted that air traffic, including the overflights served, showed a 9.3% increase compared to 2024.

TURKISH CARGO’S CARGO HANDLING CAPACITY TO REACH 4.5 MILLION TONS

Uraloğlu said that SmartIST, the hub of Turkish Cargo, is the largest air cargo terminal in Europe and the third largest in the world under one roof.

“The facility’s usable area will increase from 205,000 square meters to 410,000 square meters, and its cargo handling capacity will increase from 2.2 million tons to 4.5 million tons, propelling Turkish Cargo to global leadership. Our new catering facility, which will be the world’s largest aircraft catering center with a new capacity to serve 500,000 people daily, will take the travel experience with Turkish Airlines to the next level,” he said.

Uraloğlu stressed that the project in question would strengthen not only Turkish Airlines but also the Turkish economy, saying: “Within the scope of these massive investments totaling 100 billion Turkish liras, 26,000 new jobs will be created in 2026, and our aviation ecosystem will continue to grow.”

Published January 08,2026

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Türkiye on Thursday criticized the Greek Cypriot Administration over its remarks about the island in speeches for the administration’s assumption of the six-month EU Presidency.

The words “occupation,” “invasion,” and “division” in the Wednesday speeches “in no way correspond to the historical or current realities on the Island,” said a Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

“The only ‘occupation’ on the Island stems from the Greek Cypriot side’s seizure of the institutions of the partnership state in 1963, through a clear violation of the Constitution and the inherent rights of the Turkish Cypriot people,” said Öncü Keçeli.

His statement also criticized EU officials’ actions “which once again disregards the existence of Turkish Cypriots,” adding that this shows the EU’s biased position on the fundamental human values it claims to defend.

“Moreover, the Greek Cypriot side’s misuse of the EU Presidency from the very outset –contrary to the commitments made publicly — to promote its distorted narrative and uncompromising positions on the Cyprus issue clearly demonstrates why the EU cannot be a neutral and constructive actor in efforts to resolve the Cyprus question,” the statement said.

Published January 08,2026

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Eyeing a $40 billion trade target, Türkiye and the UK on Thursday signed a new Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) Action Plan containing 16 concrete measures, alongside a mutual recognition agreement, during high-level talks in London.

The agreements were signed as part of the 8th term meeting of the Türkiye-UK JETCO, held during a visit to London by Turkish Trade Minister Ömer Bolat.

Bolat met Peter Kyle, the UK secretary of state for business and trade, where discussions focused on bilateral trade and economic cooperation, as well as new trade and investment opportunities based on what he described as mutual trust and a win-win approach.

“We will continue to maintain and strengthen our multifaceted cooperation with the United Kingdom in trade and investment, as in all other areas, and to work towards elevating our trade relations to the level of a strategic partnership,” Bolat said in a statement on US social media company X.

“I sincerely hope that the deep-rooted friendship between our two countries will continue to grow stronger in the economic sphere as well, yielding fruitful outcomes and contributing to our shared vision of sustainable development,” he added.

According to Bolat, the JETCO meeting in London resulted not only in the signing of the JETCO Protocol but also in agreements aimed at deepening bilateral cooperation.

“Within the scope of the JETCO Meeting, in addition to the JETCO Protocol, we signed the JETCO Action Plan, which contains 16 concrete action items and plays a key role in the development and deepening of our bilateral cooperation, as well as the Mutual Recognition Agreement on Authorised Economic Operators,” he said.

He also said significant progress had been made in negotiations to modernize the free trade agreement between the two countries.

“I wholeheartedly believe that this productive meeting and the agreements signed will carry the Türkiye-UK economic partnership forward with renewed dynamism,” Bolat said. “We will continue our efforts to build a strong future based on constructive dialogue and strategic partnership.”

BUILDING ON 2021 TRADE PACT

Bolat added that meetings were also held with representatives of Turkish private sector umbrella organizations, as well as leading UK companies and counterpart institutions.

“Our country’s young, highly skilled workforce, the opportunity to access new markets provided by our geographical location, and the most comprehensive investment incentive program in the history of the republic are of great importance in terms of investments to be made in Türkiye,” he said.

He added that Turkish companies would continue to strengthen their global position through cooperation with British and other international firms.

Bolat also noted that discussions included an assessment of the benefits of a previously signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in third countries in the field of contracting.

“I hope that our meeting will pave the way for new investment opportunities,” he said.

The existing UK-Türkiye Free Trade Agreement, which came into force in 2021, has added momentum to bilateral trade, with trade between the two countries up by more than $5 billion over the past four years. Bilateral trade rose by $1.8 billion in the past year alone, reaching $24 billion.

Both countries aim to reach trade targets of $30 billion in the short term and $40 billion in the medium term.

Published January 08,2026

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Türkiye’s UN envoy on Thursday welcomed steps taken by Syria’s new authorities while stressing that eliminating the country’s remaining chemical weapons must remain a top international priority.

In his address to a UN Security Council session on chemical weapons in Syria, Ahmet Yıldız said Syrians last month marked the first anniversary of their December 2024 liberation “with a sense of hope and optimism,” adding: “We recognize the steps, reforms and efforts taken by the Syrian government, and welcome its commitment to stability, effective governance and the well-being of its people.”

Despite what he described as encouraging developments, Yıldız warned that “much remains to be accomplished,” pointing first to chemical weapons.

“Eliminating the remaining chemical weapons capabilities in Syria is not only a legal obligation under the Chemical Weapons Convention, but also a critical imperative for regional security and humanitarian priority,” he said.

Noting the need for international support for Damascus to complete the task, Yıldız said: “The Syrian government cannot do this alone. The scope, complexity and technical requirements of these tasks exceed Syria’s current national capabilities, operational means and financial resources.”

He called on the international community to seize a “historic opportunity” to assist Syria through “sustained,” long-term support.

Reiterating Türkiye’s support for Syria, he said: “Türkiye is ready to do its part as it has done till now. We will continue to stand by Syria and OPCW (Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) to achieve this shared objective.”

‘INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MUST ENSURE SUCH ACTIONS ARE RESTRAINED’

On Israel’s actions in the region, Yıldız said: “Israel’s continued airstrikes and hybrid military activities in Syria hinder our joint efforts to this end.”

He said the attacks have damaged former chemical weapons-related sites, endangered civilians, and jeopardized OPCW missions, urging that “the international community must ensure that such actions are restrained.”

In August 2013, the Assad regime launched missiles carrying sarin gas, a fast-acting toxic nerve agent, on Ghouta near the capital Damascus, killing more than 1,400 people, including hundreds of children.

That October, Syria joined the OPCW.

In 2021, OPCW member states voted to suspend some of Syria’s membership rights after investigations confirmed the use of chemical weapons in attacks on Al-Lataminah in Hama in 2017 and Idlib in 2018.

Last February, the new Syrian president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, met in Damascus with a delegation from the OPCW led by Director-General Fernando Arias Gonzalez.

Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia in December 2024, ending the regime of the Baath Party, which had been in power since 1963.