Turkish is tightly connected to Africa: Minister Zeybekci

ISTANBUL

Speaking on the last day of the Turkey-Africa Economic and Business Forum in Istanbul on Nov. 3, Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci said the future of the economy is in Africa and praised Turkey’s “tight connection” to Africa. 

“Today I can say even more surely that the future is Africa. Turkey is tightly connected to Africa with warm feelings,” Zeybekci said on the last day of the two-day event jointly organized by the Economy Ministry, the African Union Commission, the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK) and the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM). 

“All the most developed countries in the world have faced difficulties at various points in time. What makes me optimistic is the will to struggle with difficulties that I see in the eyes of my African friends,” he added, speaking at a session focused on financing investment, infrastructure, transportation and energy projects in Africa.

The forum is said to provide a unique platform for business circles in Turkey and African countries to foster long-lasting cooperation, and was attended by around 1,500 guests including politicians, business people, bureaucrats and journalists. 

Antony Mothae Maruping, the commissioner for Economic of the African Union Commission, said infrastructure and energy remain the key issues for the continent. 

Highlighting the importance of build-operate-transfer as a business model, Maruping said “there are lots of businesses to be done in the fields that I mentioned on our continent.” 

The final declaration of the forum said the event will be repeated in Africa in 2018. 

It also said Turkish companies will be promoted to build industrial zones and logistics centers in Africa and contribute in manufacturing and processing.