Ashraf AboArafe
* Meeting of African Ambassadors in Cairo within the framework of the Turkish-African Partnership.
* Ambassador Shen: More than half of Turkish investments in Africa are directed to Egypt.
* Ambassador Salih Mutlu Shen: Egypt is Turkey’s largest trading partner in Africa.
The Turkish Embassy in Cairo organized a meeting with the participation of African ambassadors in Cairo within the framework of the Turkish-African Partnership.
The meeting was attended by Ambassador Ihab Awad, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration and Egyptians Residing Abroad for African Affairs and Permanent Representative of the African Union to the League of Arab States, and the Ambassador of Cameroon, Dean of the Ambassadors of African Countries.
During the meeting held at the embassy’s residence in Cairo, the cooperation implemented within the framework of the Turkish-African Partnership within the framework of summits, foreign ministers’ meetings and approved work programs was discussed.
Ambassador Salih Mutlu Shen stated in his speech that Egypt is Turkey’s largest trading partner in Africa. He stated that more than half of Turkish investments in Africa are directed to Egypt, adding that the number of Turkish embassies in Africa, which was 12 in 2002, has reached 44 today and will soon reach 50 embassies, explaining that the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency has provided development aid worth $2.5 billion to Africa so far.
Ambassador Şen pointed out that there are broad cooperation opportunities for Turkish and Egyptian contracting companies in Africa. He stressed that Turkey and Egypt’s prospects for cooperation with African countries on a strong historical basis within the framework of equality, mutual respect and mutual trust in Africa are very broad and great.
In his speech to the ambassadors participating in the meeting, Ambassador Ihab Awad, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Egyptians Residing Abroad, stated that the results of the Third Ministerial Review Conference of the Turkey-Africa Partnership, held in Djibouti on November 2-3, 2024, are an indicator of the strengthening of relations between Turkey and African countries.
Assistant Minister Ihab Awad pointed to the potential of Africa with its young population and stressed the importance of Turkey investing in people through its development assistance to the continent.
In this context, he expressed that Turkey’s partnership with Africa is unique. He stated that the presidents of the two countries have met twice this year and that the issue of cooperation in Africa was one of the most prominent items on the agenda of their meetings.
He pointed to the multiple aspects of cooperation between Turkey and the African Union to Ambassador Nader Fath Al-Alim, the African Union Representative to the League of Arab States. He stated that the conference held on November 3 demonstrated the progress made in the fields of peace, security, stability, information technology, trade and investments. He pointed out that Turkey’s support always stands behind African countries. He stressed that the African Union and Turkey are in solidarity and cooperation on regional issues, especially the Palestinian issue, and on the international scene.
On the other hand, Dr. Mahamadou Labarang, Ambassador of the Republic of Cameroon and Dean of African Ambassadors in Cairo, highlighted the importance of the Joint Declaration and Joint Implementation Report 2022-2024, which was adopted at the Third Ministerial Review Conference of the Turkey-Africa Partnership, in terms of demonstrating the progress made by the Turkey-Africa partnership. He stated that the volume of Turkey’s economic and humanitarian investments in the African continent is a result of the progress made in the Turkey-Africa partnership. He said, “Turkey is among its African brothers.”
The meeting played an effective role in addressing the very close and fraternal partnership relations that bind Turkey to African countries, especially Egypt, to the ambassadors in Cairo.
