Türkiye says Saudi transit visas restore key overland trade corridor

ANKARA

Türkiye has secured Saudi transit visas for its commercial truck drivers heading to the Gulf, reopening a key overland trade route after about a decade of disruption, Trade Minister Ömer Bolat said on April 10.

Bolat announced the move at an e-commerce summit in Istanbul, describing it as a major breakthrough for Turkish logistics and regional trade.

Bolat said the issue had effectively been resolved as of April 9, allowing Turkish truck drivers to travel to Gulf markets via Saudi Arabia with transit visas.

He added the arrangement would help restore a land corridor that had remained blocked for years because of diplomatic and logistical obstacles.

The development comes as conflict-related disruptions in the Middle East have increased pressure on supply chains.

Bolat said overland logistics through Türkiye had become more important under current conditions, describing the country as a natural bridge to Eurasia.

He also said Ankara hoped the current ceasefire in the region would hold and eventually lead to lasting stability, arguing that the global economy needed peace to avoid further supply shocks and prolonged price pressures.