Turkey sees Senegal as 'strategic partner', says envoy

By Alaattin Dogru

DAKAR (AA) - Ankara sees the relations with Dakar as a "strategic partnership", Turkish Ambassador to Senegal Nihat Civaner said.

"We define our relations with friendly and brother Senegal as not only partnership, rather strategic partnership and we desire such a relation. We have covered a rapid distance in this direction," Civaner told Anadolu Agency on Monday.

Civaner's remarks came ahead of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to Senegal.

Erdogan is currently on a four-nation African tour, starting from Algeria, Mauritania and followed by Senegal and Mali.

Civaner said he expects a "leap" in the bilateral relations during Erdogan's visit and added several agreements will be signed to improve the ties.

"We are here to make a contribution to the development of this country. Our relations with Senegal is perfect," he said.

He added it was not "surprising" to see how Turkey has strong presence in Senegal.

The ambassador said Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) was very active in Senegal for many years and it carried out projects with a cost of around $12 million in last 10 years.

Civaner said Senegal showed great solidarity with Turkey after the 2016 defeated coup, which martyred 250 people, and Dakar closed all the schools linked to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the coup.

"We will make every effort on the path of our president to further develop the relations," he added.