Ahead of the launch of talks on an upgraded trade deal with Türkiye, Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch visits Istanbul to strengthen trade ties and kick off a year of boosting services trade, Paralel.Az reports citing the press service of UK Government.

The UK and Türkiye have a thriving trading relationship, with trade up more than 17% in current prices to £26.2 billion in the year to June 2023. The two countries have an existing trade deal which covers goods but not services, digital or data – three key components of 21st century trade.

While in Istanbul the Secretary of State will meet her Turkish counterpart, Minister for Trade Ömer Bolat, to discuss how to boost UK-Turkish trade ahead of the launch of talks on an upgraded trade deal covering services and digital later in the year.

While there she will also visit Turkish Airlines, who have just contracted Airbus to supply them with 220 planes, the wings for which will be designed in Bristol and built in North Wales, with Rolls Royce supplying engines, made in Derby, for much of the fleet. The contract is one of the UK’s biggest export deals to date, worth billions of pounds to the economy and supporting thousands of skilled jobs.