Bolat heads to US as Türkiye pushes trade priorities at G20

Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat is set to visit Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Wednesday for the G20 Trade Ministers’ Meeting and the Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity (GFSEC), where Türkiye will present its positions on major challenges facing international commerce.

Food security and global trade on agenda

The two-day gathering is being held under the US presidency of the G20 as governments confront growing geopolitical tensions and disruptions to established trade patterns. Ministers are expected to discuss ways to prevent food supplies from becoming instruments of economic pressure, while also examining forced labor in international supply chains and persistent production surpluses.

Another issue on the table will be the future of the most-favored-nation (MFN) principle, a long-standing element of the multilateral trading system. Participants will present their countries’ approaches and seek areas where international economic cooperation can be strengthened.

Steel overcapacity gets global focus

Bolat will also participate in the GFSEC, where governments are expected to examine the continuing problem of excess production in the global steel and metals industries. Discussions will focus on the economic consequences of surplus capacity and possible measures aimed at addressing the structural causes behind the imbalance.

According to the Turkish Trade Ministry, Bolat will use the meetings to convey Türkiye’s priorities and concerns regarding proposed changes to the international trading system. The discussions provide Ankara with an opportunity to underline its position as global trade rules undergo significant pressure.

Bolat to hold talks with key partners

The Turkish minister is scheduled to conduct bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the G20 gathering with senior officials representing the US, European Union, Canada, UK, Poland, South Korea and Saudi Arabia.

The meetings are expected to cover bilateral trade and economic cooperation, progress on existing commercial initiatives and issues affecting Türkiye’s relations with its major economic partners. They will also give Türkiye a platform to address geopolitical developments with direct implications for trade, investment and supply chains.

The Milwaukee meetings come as Türkiye seeks to protect and expand its commercial ties while international trade faces greater fragmentation, production imbalances and geopolitical uncertainty.