UPDATE - ‘Number of Turkish embassies in Africa rises from 12 to 42'

UPDATE WITH DECK, LEDE, MORE QUOTES BY ERDOGAN

By Zehra Nur Duz

ANKARA (AA) – Turkish President praised Saturday high level cooperation between Turkey and Africa in various fields.

“As a result of our efforts, we have brought up Turkey-Africa relations to a level that could not have been even imagined 15 years ago,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during his speech at 3rd African Muslim Religious Leaders summit in Istanbul.

“We increased the number of Turkish embassies in the African continent from 12 to 42,” Erdogan stressed.

Erdogan underlined that a total of 10,480 African students who graduated from Turkish universities serve their countries as Turkey’s “peace ambassadors”.

“Our bilateral trade, which reached $24 billion, is increasing day by day, tourism is developing, cooperation between the [African] countries and Turkey is strengthening, and the number of mutual visits is increasing at every level,” Erdogan said.

Erdogan expressed determination that the trade volume between Turkey and Africa will exceed $50 billion dollars in the coming period.

“We strive to increase the number, capacity and potentialities of our diplomatic missions in African countries,” he stressed.

Erdogan added that Turkish non-governmental organizations help Turkey’s “African brothers and sisters” all over the continent by taking serious risks.

“Beyond selling products, Turkish investors are focusing on projects that create employment and enable the development and strengthening of Africa,” Erdogan highlighted.