Strengthening UK–Türkiye Trade Relations

UK–Türkiye trade relations were the focus of a joint event co-hosted by the European Turkish Brands Association and UKABC in the Churchill Room at the Palace of Westminster. The programme brought political, diplomatic and business voices together to discuss partnership opportunities and future priorities.

UKABC President Taha Coburn-Kutay contributed comments on the relationship and introduced several participants to the wider audience, helping create connections for Turkish businesses interested in strengthening their presence and operations in the UK. The event’s setting underlined the importance of sustained dialogue between decision-makers and entrepreneurs. Speakers included H.E.

Koray Ertaş, Ambassador of Türkiye to the United Kingdom; Tahir Ali MP, Chair of the APPG on Türkiye; Afzal Khan CBE MP, UK Trade Envoy to Türkiye; Baroness Manzila Uddin, Vice Chair of the APPG; and Vehbi Keleş, President of the European Turkish Brands Association. UKABC’s role in this work is to connect people who can turn broad international ambition into practical conversations.

That means helping businesses understand the institutional landscape, introducing relevant expertise and keeping discussions focused on realistic next steps. The Council’s approach is based on long-term relationships rather than one-off visibility. For companies considering cross-border activity, the value of these discussions lies in context.

Market opportunity is shaped by regulation, local networks, sector knowledge, finance, talent and the ability to identify credible partners. A useful introduction can shorten that learning process, but it must be supported by preparation and follow-up. UKABC therefore encourages businesses to be clear about their objectives, evidence and capacity before entering a new market.

The wider significance is the growing range of UK–international collaboration. Education, technology, sustainability, sport, tourism, healthcare, culture and investment increasingly overlap. A conversation that begins in one sector can reveal opportunities in another, particularly when public institutions, universities, entrepreneurs and established businesses share perspectives.

Sudeep Sakalle, Vice President of UKABC, said: “International relationships become valuable when they move from general goodwill to a clear introduction, a practical opportunity and responsible follow-up.” The comment reflects UKABC’s emphasis on building an organised record of activity while ensuring that public reporting remains accurate and useful.

UKABC will continue to use roundtables, meetings and focused events to help organisations understand opportunities and meet relevant people. Businesses interested in these areas are encouraged to approach the Council with a concise explanation of their objectives, target market and the type of relationship or support they need. The next stage is not simply to increase the number of meetings, but to improve their quality.

Clear agendas, relevant participants and honest expectations help avoid ceremonial activity without an outcome. UKABC’s public Stories archive supports that objective by recording why an engagement mattered, who or what it connected and how the subject fits within a longer programme of international relationship-building. It also gives businesses and institutions a useful starting point before approaching the Council.

Each opportunity will require its own commercial, legal and operational assessment; the Council’s role is to help create informed connections, not to replace professional due diligence. This disciplined approach is particularly important when collaboration crosses jurisdictions, sectors and cultures.

It enables partners to build confidence gradually, test assumptions and decide whether a conversation should progress into a delegation, investment discussion, institutional partnership or another focused programme.