Trade Minister Muş spoke at the Turkey-Africa 3rd Economy and Business Forum

Muş attended the Turkey-Africa 3rd Economy and Business Forum organized by the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) in cooperation with the Ministry of Trade and the African Union Commission (AUC) at the Istanbul Congress Center.

Participating in the Ministerial Meeting held within the framework of the event, Muş later made statements to the journalists together with African Union Commission (AUC) Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Industry and Mining Albert Muchanga, Foreign Trade Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo-Term President Jean Lucien Bussa Tongba.

Pointing to the importance Turkey attaches to its relations with Africa, Muş stated that there were representatives from 45 countries and 4 regions of Africa, and that nearly 3 thousand African and Turkish business people came together.

Stating that Turkey attaches great importance to relations with Africa, Muş said:

"We aimed to develop our economic and commercial relations in a balanced way by starting the Strategy for the Development of Economic and Commercial Relations with African countries in 2003. As a result of this strategy, Turkey's trade volume with Africa, which was 5.4 billion dollars in 2003, has reached 25 billion dollars in 2020. Our exports, which were 2.1 billion dollars in 2003, reached 15.2 billion dollars in 2020, and our imports, which were 3.3 billion dollars in 2003, exceeded 10 billion dollars in 2020.

In the same period, Turkish investments in Africa reached the level of 6 billion dollars, and the value of the contracting projects undertaken by Turkish contractors reached 77 billion dollars. In order to further develop our relations, we increased the number of our embassies in African countries to 43 and increased the number of our trade consultancy offices to 26. On the other hand, Turkish Airlines flies to 58 different destinations on the continent. As Turkey, our main goal has been to establish relations with the continental countries on the basis of equal partnership, mutual respect and win-win principle. For this reason, our approach to the black continent has never consisted of unilateral economic motives, on the contrary, it has aimed to develop Africa hand in hand with Turkey.

Stating that they support development-oriented programs in many countries of the continent in this direction, giving priority to health, infrastructure, logistics and women's entrepreneurship, Muş said that Turkey will stand by its African friends in the future, as it has in the past.

Stating that relations are being shaped on the basis of the "win-win" principle and that these relations will be strengthened in the future, Muş noted that they will contribute to the development of Africa in all areas and to find its deserved place in the global system.
 

"With the agreements and collaborations to be made here, we will have achieved a very important momentum for the next period"

Mehmet Muş also gave information about the Ministerial Meeting held as part of the event. Noting that he met with 28 of his counterparts within the scope of the meeting, Muş said that 45 countries and regional organizations participated in the meeting at different levels.

Stating that they mentioned the importance of developing bilateral and economic relations in bilateral and multiple meetings, Muş said:

"At the meeting we held, we just discussed the issue of 'deepening the Turkey-Africa partnership' on the agenda. As a country, we closely follow the developments regarding the African Continental Free Trade Area, which came into effect on January 1, 2021. Within the scope of this forum, the said Free Trade Area in Turkey We have confirmed once again that it will increase the opportunities for cooperation between Turkey and Africa. There will be very valuable developments and meetings within the scope of the forum for 2 days. G2B and B2B meetings will continue for 2 days. I believe that the agreements and cooperations to be made here are very important for the next period. We will have gained momentum.”