Turkiye: Relations with Africa strategic and long term

Turkiye's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said that Ankara's approach to its relations with Africa is “strategic and long term". 

Speaking at the third Turkiye-Africa Partnership Summit on Friday, Cavusoglu said Istanbul is hosting 102 ministers from Africa, and 26 of them are foreign ministers.

"As the theme of this event is 'Enhanced Partnership for Common Development and Prosperity', we want to march down this path of development with African friends and take our cooperation into the future," Cavusoglu stressed.

Noting that the three-day event is focusing on health care, education, and agriculture, Cavusoglu said that in addition to a joint declaration, an action plan for the next five years will also be unveiled at the summit.

"This action plan, which will have five main topics, includes concrete steps in various areas such as development, trade, industry, education, informatics, women, youth, infrastructure, agriculture, and health," Cavusoglu said.

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Vaccines for Africa

Recalling that the Organization of Turkic States donated Covid-19 vaccines to Burkina Faso and Togo earlier this month, he said Turkiye will work on enhancing ties between the organisation and Africa.

"We will donate 2.5 million additional vaccine doses to different African countries in the coming days," Cavusoglu underlined.

Noting that Turkiye will soon start production of its first locally made Covid-19 vaccine, TURKOVAC, he said the country will cooperate with Africa in joint production and delivery of the vaccine.

Turkiye will continue its support to Africa in the fight against terrorism, he said, adding that lasting peace can only be attained through political stability.

"For this reason, I would like to underline again that we are against the change of elected governments through violence," the Turkish minister added.

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