07.01.2013 18:30
Turkey aims to increase its trade volume with Africa to $50 billion by 2015, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said when kicking off a tour of Africa that includes stops in Gabon, Niger and Senegal.
Turkey aims to increase its trade volume with Africa to $50 billion by 2015, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said when kicking off a tour of Africa that includes stops in Gabon, Niger and Senegal.
Joined by a delegation of more than 250 businessmen, Erdoğan began his trip to three West African countries in Gabon on Sunday. He is scheduled to travel to Niger and Senegal next.
The visit is part of the government's aspirations to widen its economic and political influence in Africa, a continent widely neglected before Erdoğan's Justice and Development Party (AK Party) first came to power a decade ago. Over the past three years, Turkey has opened 19 embassies across Africa, and its national flag carrier Turkish Airlines has launched flights to numerous African destinations.
Erdoğan, who is accompanied by Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ and Turkish Economy Minister Zafer Çağlayan, addressed Turkish and Gabonese businessmen at a forum held in Cite de la Democratie, a neighborhood in Libreville, Gabon, on Sunday.
Stating that Gabon was his first trip abroad in 2013, Erdoğan said it marks a step forward in relations between the two countries.
Erdoğan underlined that Turley's aim was to form a legal infrastructure for entrepreneurs and encourage investments and, accordingly, the Turkish government would like to see economic agreements between Turkey and Gabon signed and put into practice as soon as possible.
The prime minister stated that the global economic recession during the period 2007-2010 negatively affected trade relations between Turkey and Gabon, decreasing overall figures.
Erdoğan said trade between Turkey and Gabon in 2011 began to recover, adding: "In the first 11 months of 2012, the trade volume was $41 million. When December's numbers come in, we will see that figures in 2012 were higher than those of 2007."
"We all know that the potential of both countries is significantly greater. In this new period, we will work harder and improve our cooperation in every field. Hopefully, we will increase these figures soon," said Erdoğan.
Erdoğan stated that following his visit, a business council will be set up between Turkey and Gabon. "We attach importance to the formation of a [Turkey-Gabon] business council. In Africa, we have already set up 16 business councils," said Erdoğan.
The total amount of Turkish exports to Africa increased 31.4 percent in 2012 compared to figures for 2011, reaching $12.1 billion, according to a press statement released by Economy Minister Zafer Çağlayan on Dec. 28. Turkey's market share in Africa also rose to 8.7 percent from 7.5 percent in 2011.
The greatest contribution to this increase came from trade with North African countries. Of the $12.1 billion in Turkish exports to Africa in 2012, $8.6 billion were to North African
In Gabon, Erdoğan met with with Gabon President Ali Bongo Ondimba and his Gabonese counterpart, Prime Minister Raymond Ndong Sima, on Monday and signed cooperation agreements.
Erdoğan was also scheduled to make a speech at the Gabonese Parliament and inaugurate the Turkish Embassy building in Libreville.
The Gabonese president visited Turkey in mid-July and met with his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gül, who welcomed Ondimba with a formal ceremony at the Çankaya presidential palace.
Located in the Gulf of Guinea, Gabon has extensive oil fields. Niger already exports oil to Turkey, albeit in small amounts. Niger is also an important source of uranium.
Senegal, Erdoğan's last stop on his African tour, plays a key role in maintaining the balance of political power in West Africa. His visit will strengthen Turkey's bonds with the country, an influential actor in its region.
In addition to stepping up economic relations, Turkey has developed very successful cultural and political relations with African countries over the last decade.
As an influential soft power, Turkey mediated between the Sudanese government and the newly independent South Sudan in 2005 as well as between Ethiopia and Eritrea after a bloody war between the two came to an end in 2000.
Additionally, with an increasing number of Turkish schools highly active in West Africa, the cultural bonds between Turkey and the African continent have been strengthened.
(Cihan/Today's Zaman)