UPDATE - Turkish vice president visits Equatorial Guinea

ADDS MEETING WITH S. AFRICAN DEPUTY PRESIDENT, NIGER PRESIDENT

By Mumin Altas

MALABO, Equatorial Guinea (AA) - Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay on Friday attended the 50th Independence Day celebration of Equatorial Guinea.

President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasago presided the ceremony at Paseo Maritimo Street which ended with a military parade.

Oktay had lunch at the presidential palace.

Separately, the Turkish vice president met his South African counterpart David Mabuza, agreeing to increase trade between the two countries and expand the activities of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) in Pretoria.

They also discussed the transfer of schools affiliated with the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) to a Turkish educational foundation, the Maarif Foundation.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup attempt in Turkey on July 25, 2016 which 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Later, Oktay was received by Niger President Mahamadou Issoufou to discuss increasing political and economic relations between the two countries.