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Last week’s Turkey-Africa Business and Economy Forum was the latest example showing the value Turkey places on countries across the continent and its efforts to develop and deepen relations there.
This time, the agenda looked somewhat different as the two sides met to discuss the course of their relations during and after the coronavirus pandemic.
“We organized the Turkey-Africa Business and Economy Forum to assess the opportunities to do business in Africa during and after the pandemic, reach new markets and potential buyers, establish new trade and investment partnerships and reach financing projects and tools.” , Bern Gözbaşı. The coordinating chairman of the Turkey-Africa Business Councils of the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) told the Daily Sabah in an interview.
Gözbaşı said the meetings discussed new areas of partnership to further develop mutually beneficial economic relationships.
He highlighted that the attendees held negotiations within different industries, among which are finance, health, technology, science, industrialization, infrastructure, investment and entrepreneurship.
During the two-day online event, public and private actors from Turkey and Africa discussed the impacts of the pandemic on two-way trade flows, discussed the models needed to manage businesses during the outbreak, strategies to reactivate economies and find solutions at a later stage. pandemic world.
The forum “Turkey-Africa: strong partners in the post-pandemic world”, organized by DEIK, brought together high-level officials from African countries, the African Union (AU), the African Development Bank, different institutions from the sector private sector and chambers of commerce and industry as well as representatives of companies and entrepreneurs.
In his speech at the event, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan encouraged both sides not to allow the negative aspects of the pandemic to affect the strong momentum of relations.
Erdogan said lasting efforts have allowed the volume of trade with the mainland, which stood at just $ 5.4 billion (TL 42.4 billion) in 2003, to reach $ 26.2 billion in 2019.
“We have to bring it (the trade volume) to more than $ 50 billion in a few years,” he stressed.
Market objectives
To achieve the goal set by the president, Gözbaşı said that they constantly held negotiations, meetings and business forums.
There has been no major disruption in activities despite the pandemic, he noted, emphasizing that they had brought together nearly 2,300 business representatives with more than 1,000 African entrepreneurs in a virtual environment.
Countries like Ethiopia, Morocco, South Africa and Kenya are among the 17 target countries set by Turkey’s Ministry of Commerce for 2020-2021, it added.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Egypt, Nigeria, Senegal and Tanzania are also among the 28 countries the ministry has identified as priority markets, Gözbaşı said.
“As business councils, we will continue to conduct business diplomacy activities to enhance our business and investment relationships.”
The African continent has occupied a crucial place in Turkey’s foreign policy, especially since the early 2000s.
“Turkey’s political and economic relations with the countries of the African continent have increased exponentially, especially in the last 10 years, with initiatives to increase awareness between countries,” said Gözbaşı.
He cited several reasons that contribute to this, including Turkey’s beginning to operate diplomatic missions and trade consultants in almost all African countries, the increase in destinations of the flag carrier Turkish Airlines, and the expansion of the Agency for Cooperation and Development network. Coordination of Turkey (TIKA).
Gözbaşı especially emphasized that the correct reading and analysis by President Erdoğan and the top management of the growing global interest in Africa also plays an important part in this.
Turkey’s Africa Opening Policy
The basis of Turkey’s African policy in the new Republic was established in 1998, during the time of the then Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, although historical ties date back to the Ottoman Empire.
The relationship took shape in 2005, the year Ankara declared the Year of Africa, and the AU granted Turkey observer status that same year.
In a reciprocal move, the AU declared Turkey its strategic partner in 2008, and Africa-Turkey relations gained momentum when the first Turkey-Africa Cooperation Summit was held in Istanbul that year. Representatives from 50 African countries participated in the summit.
The Turkish government’s priority to engage with Africa has helped facilitate the growth of business and trade relations. It came with a strong commitment that focused on direct aid, infrastructure and transportation projects, as well as mutually beneficial economic partnerships.
All of this was supported by Ankara’s strengthening of its diplomatic ties with countries in Africa. It has reached a point where Turkey has increased the number of its embassies on the continent to 42 and its trade advisers to 26.
Enjoy free trade agreements with five African countries and agreements with 13 countries that prevent double taxation.
Turkish small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular have started to invest as African markets have become more accessible.
The government has also used development aid to help facilitate business interactions. Turkey’s image and presence have been reinforced by the participation of private companies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and Turkish schools.
Increase business cooperation
Turkish companies have carried out major projects across the continent and have played a critical role in overcoming infrastructure and superstructure deficiencies in Africa.
“The absolute development of energy, infrastructure and transport is imperative for the existence of raw material resources and their delivery to all markets of need. Our country entered the African continent, especially the North African countries, ago many years with the contracting sector. Our country provides employment on the continent with investments, construction-operation-transfer projects and increased commercial cooperation in all areas, “said Gözbaşı.
Erdogan said that the total value of projects undertaken by Turkish companies in Africa has reached about $ 70 billion, adding that the market value of Turkish investments across the continent has exceeded $ 6 billion.
Furthermore, Turkey has contributed to creating a significant number of jobs in Africa, unlike other countries that bring their own workers to the continent.
The president also highlighted the contribution of Turkish companies to the generation of employment and local production in the countries in which they operate.
“Turkish investors, who meet most of the needs of their workforce locally, did not make the mistake of importing workers from abroad like many foreign companies. More than 100,000 African workers have obtained job opportunities thanks to Turkish investors,” he said .
