By Shabait,
ERITREA has participated in the second Turkey-Africa Cooperation Summit that was convened in Malabo, capital of Equatorial Guinea on November 21.
State leaders and representatives from 30 African countries, as well as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey took part, it was assessed that all-round ties between Turkey and African states is on the rise.
As regards diplomatic relations, reports indicated that Turkey has Embassies in 39 African countries, 27 of which were opened in the wake of the first Turkey – Africa Summit in Istanbul in 2008. It is also known that 32 African nations have Embassies in Turkey.
According to reports, the 2nd Turkey-Africa Cooperation Summit has adopted Action Program coupled with a number of projects. These include fostering ties and cooperation in the domains of trade and investment, peace and security, culture, tourism, education, technology transfer, rural development, energy infrastructure, communications technology and transport.
Eritrea was represented at the summit by Mr. Biniam Berhe, First Secretary and Permanent Representative of the Eritrean Mission in the African Union and the UN Economic Commission for Africa.
– – – –
Turkey-Africa Summit Kicks Off in Equatorial Guinea
.
By Anadolu Agency,
THE second Turkey-Africa cooperation summit kicked off on Wednesday in Malabo, capital of Equatorial Guinea, at the ambassadorial level.
“We should see a changed and enhanced partnership, not only in number but also in quality,” Erastus Mwencha, deputy chairperson of the African Union Commission, told the meeting.
The official put textiles on the list of sectors that Turkey could contribute to significantly.
Ambassadors and experts from both Turkey and Africa are currently drawing up documents for consideration by cabinet ministers on Thursday before their adoption by heads of state and government on Friday.
They are expected to consider a “Joint Implementation Plan of Africa-Turkey Partnership 2015-2018,” featuring key areas of cooperation.
Ambassadors and experts will also look into a “Matrix of Key Priority Projects of the Africa-Turkey Partnership 2015-2018” with the aim of discussing the way forward on proposed key priority projects.
Seven short-term projects have been proposed by the African side from the agreed overall Joint Implementation Plan 2015-2018.
The summit – which has prompted the first-ever visit to Equatorial Guinea by a Turkish president – will advance to the ministerial level on Thursday before being wrapped up by heads of state the following day.
Two hundred business leaders, along with a delegation led by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and including Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, are attending the three-day summit, in addition to leaders from several African countries.
Mauritania – current chair of the African Union – and Ethiopia – the union’s outgoing chair – are both attending this year’s summit, along with Algeria, Nigeria, South Africa, Senegal, Libya, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ghana, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Egypt.
Thirty-two other African countries are attending the event as observers.
Most invited countries are being represented at the event by their respective heads of state.
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, however, is not expected to attend the summit.
A joint declaration and action plan for Turkish-African partnership from 2015 to 2018 is expected to be approved at the summit, which is being held under the banner, “A new model for partnership for strengthening sustainable development and integration in Africa.”
The plan includes actions in the fields of industry, education, health, trade, energy, investment, and peace and security.
The African Union declared Turkey a strategic partner in 2008 and a Turkey-Africa summit was held the same year in Istanbul, which was attended by representatives from 49 African countries.
A third summit is scheduled to be held in Turkey in 2018.
