Turkish foreign minister meets more counterparts from African countries

By Handan Kazanci

ISTANBUL (AA) – The Turkish foreign minister on Friday continued to meet with his counterparts from African countries as part of the Third Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit in Istanbul.

“Continued our bilaterals w/ FM @OJerandi of #Tunisia & Trade and Industry Minister Mulenga Chipoka of #Zambia,” Mevlut Cavusoglu wrote on Twitter, sharing photos from his meetings.

Later in the day, Cavusoglu wrote: “Last bilateral meetings of the day were w/ FMs @Lamamra_dz of #Algeria, Dee Maxwell Saah Kemayah of #Liberia & Simeon Oyono Angue of #EquatorialGuinea.”

Earlier in the day, addressing the three-day summit running through Saturday, Cavusoglu said that Turkey’s approach to its relations with Africa is “strategic and long term”.

Over 100 government ministers and 16 presidents from Africa are attending the summit which is being held under the theme of Enhanced Partnership for Common Development and Prosperity.

The first Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit was held in Istanbul, the second in Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea, and the third at the Istanbul Congress Center in Turkey’s commercial capital.

Under the government’s outreach to Africa policy, Turkey’s engagement with Africa has gained speed in recent years, including President Recep Tayyip’s groundbreaking visits to multiple countries on the continent.

Turkey has said its African policy, which encompasses political, humanitarian, economic, and cultural ties, is part of its multidimensional foreign policy and is pursued in the spirit of win-win relations.