Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has held several meetings on the sidelines of COP31, the UN climate conference, in the southern Turkish city of Antalya.
Erdogan met his counterpart from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Felix Antoine Tshisekedi, according to a statement from Türkiye's Communications Directorate on Thursday.
The meeting addressed bilateral relations between the two countries as well as regional issues.
During the meeting, Erdogan said Türkiye's partnership with the DRC was developing across all areas, adding that the two countries would continue taking steps in various fields, particularly trade, transportation and the defence industry.
Erdogan said Türkiye supports DRC's territorial integrity and expressed hope for the establishment of lasting stability in the country.
The meeting was also attended by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, the governing Justice and Development (AK) Party spokesman Omer Celik and National Intelligence Organisation (MIT) chief Ibrahim Kalin.
Georgia
Erdogan also met with Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili on the sidelines of the summit.
“The leaders discussed the Türkiye–Georgia bilateral relations as well as regional and global issues,” the directorate said.
Stating that Georgia is an important trading partner, Erdogan noted that efforts are ongoing to reach bilateral trade volume targets.
Erdogan also stressed the importance of making the most effective use of the Türkiye–Georgia–Azerbaijan cooperation mechanisms.
Sudan
Erdogan met with Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council Chairman Abdel Fattah al Burhan.
The meeting addressed bilateral relations between Türkiye and Sudan, as well as regional issues.
During the meeting, Erdogan said the two countries would continue their efforts to strengthen bilateral ties, emphasising the importance of pursuing further steps to expand cooperation in various fields, particularly the defence industry, investment and agriculture.
Erdogan also reaffirmed Türkiye's unwavering support for Sudan's unity, territorial integrity and independence, saying Ankara was closely monitoring developments on the ground and supported the proposed "Sudan Peace Initiative".
Libya
The Turkish president also met with Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibeh.
The two leaders discussed regional issues and bilateral relations in the meeting.
Türkiye would strengthen its support for Libya's stability, Erdogan vowed, stressing that no initiative could succeed on the ground without Libya's backing.
Somalia
Erdogan also met with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
The talks focused on bilateral relations between Türkiye and Somalia, as well as regional developments.
Erdogan reaffirmed Türkiye's commitment to expanding cooperation with Somalia across various sectors, particularly defence and energy, saying Ankara would continue taking steps to further strengthen bilateral ties.
He also stressed that peace and stability in Somalia remained a priority for Türkiye, expressing hope that the national dialogue process would succeed and pave the way for national unity and social cohesion.
Republic of Congo
Erdogan held separate talks with Republic of Congo President Denis Sassou Nguesso, who was in Antalya for the COP31 Leaders' Summit.
The talks focused on bilateral relations between Türkiye and the Republic of Congo, as well as regional issues, the Communications Directorate said on X.
Erdogan said the two countries had made significant strides in cooperation, particularly in trade and investment, adding that they were exploring ways to unlock further potential in their relations and would continue working to strengthen ties.
He also underscored the importance of protecting biodiversity, particularly in the Congo Basin, expressing confidence that the "Climate Implementation Bridge" initiative developed under Türkiye's COP31 presidency would help address these challenges.
Iraq
Erdogan also met with Iraqi President Nizar Amedi in Antalya to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments.
During the meeting, Erdogan highlighted progress on the Development Road Project, saying it would establish a new corridor for east-west trade.
He added that Türkiye would continue working to deepen cooperation with Iraq across various sectors, particularly energy.
The Turkish president also called on Baghdad to increase its support for the goal of a "Terror-Free Region," emphasising that achieving this objective would benefit both countries.
Tanzania
The Turkish president met with Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
The meeting was attended by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Justice Minister Akin Gurlek, ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party Deputy Chairman and spokesperson Omer Celik, and Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran.
