16-18 May 2007
Turkiye-Africa Foreign Trade Bridge
Brothers from Turkiye, Africa embrace on trade bridge

The second of the trade bridge summits with Africa, organized by the Turkish Confederation of Business and Industrialists (TUSKON), started yesterday with the participation of many senior state officials, bureaucrats, Business and journalists from 39 countries.

Minister Kürþad Tüzmen greets a participant at the opening of the TUSKON summit in Ýstanbul.

The summit, organized by the Turkish Confederation of Business and Industrialists (TUSKON), is offering the opportunity to bargain and strike business deals to around 1,000 African and 1,600 Turkish Business. Nearly 700 translators, meanwhile, are working to assist the negotiating Business. TUSKON Chairman Rýzanur Meral released official estimates from the Foreign Trade Undersecretariat that the total amount of agreements in the summit would exceed $2 billion. He had asserted on Wednesday -- the first day of the summit -- that the Business would shake hands for an estimated $500 million worth of agreement

As was in the former trade bridge summits, Turkiye's Foreign Trade Minister Kürþad Tüzmen was the representative of the Turkish government that welcomed participants. He held a meeting with 20 African ministers in a morning session of the summit that was closed to the press. Before the meeting, Tüzmen addressed the participants, stressing the fact that the foreign trade volume between African countries and Turkiye was approaching $15 billion this year and that their aim was to increase it further. Organizations like the foreign trade bridge would create a synergy to achieve this goal, he stressed. Tüzmen asserted in his speech that the African countries had been fighting against poverty, political instability and regional disputes but that stability has finally begun to emerge. Tüzmen also revealed Turkiye's intention to develop trade with African countries through free trade agreements.

Turkiye's share in total foreign trade of the African countries was 2.1 percent, with efforts under way to raise this to 3 percent. The trade between Turkiye and African countries was around $5 billion in 2003. This amount climbed to $10 billion in 2005, reaching $12 billion in 2006. TUSKON sees the summits as a way to boost the volume of trade with the African nations from $10 billion to $25 billion in the mid term.

The summit is sponsored by the Foreign Ministry, the Undersecretariat for Foreign Trade, Turkish-African Cultural, Social and Economic Cooperation Association (AKSÝAD), Turkish Cooperation and Development Agency (TÝKA), Turkish Exporters Assembly (TÝM), Ýstanbul Exporters Union, Ýstanbul Mineral and Metals Exporters Association (ÝMMÝB) and the Ýstanbul Textile and the Apparel Exporters Association (ÝTKÝB).

The summit has started to bear fruit on the first day as Turkiye and Equatorial Guinea signed an agreement on improving commercial relations. After the signing ceremony of the agreement, Tüzmen said: “As you see we are not just singing songs. We are also dancing.” Turkiye has signed free trade agreements with 10 African countries since 2003. He asserted that the investment opportunities in Africa have risen considerably over the course of the last decade. The capacity for Turkish exports has also increased at the same time its contractual services have become more widespread, he added. Tüzmen underlined that Turkiye is not attending solely its own interests while improving relations with the African continent, but it is trying to improve trade mutually. “Turkiye’s point of view was the same centuries ago as it is today. We are planning to get richer hand-in-hand with the African countries,” he said. There is no need to explore the African continent once again, the minister said and listed the premium opportunities in Africa: “Turkish entrepreneurs may enjoy investing in the automotive and supplier industry, electronics, chemicals, furniture and much more.”

As a result of the implementation of the Strategy for Developing Trade Relations with African Nations, devised by the Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade in 2003, the trade volume with the African continent increased by 120 percent -- to $12 billion -- in 2006. “Our aim is to carry it to $30 billion by 2010,” said Tüzmen. The minister also expressed his belief that the trade relations, which gained more pace after declaring 2005 as the “Year of Africa,” will grow exponentially in the coming years. Turkish entrepreneurs have realized investments of more than $500 million in many sectors in Africa and the amount of the investments will exceed $4 billion in five years, Tüzmen claimed.

Meanwhile, the guest ministers issued a joint declaration after the morning meeting. The declaration included important remarks and formed an announcement of their unanimous decision to act together in realizing national development as well as in halving global poverty by 2015. It was Tüzmen who read the declaration, which expressed the content and satisfaction of having attended the trade bridge. The declaration noted that economic activities are not at a sufficient level in African nations and that there are deficiencies in the infra and superstructure necessary for investments. “Improving commercial relations with Turkiye will assist in solving such problems,” the declaration emphasized, adding that any investor coming from Turkiye will be welcomed with incentives.

The declaration also included some other crucial remarks: Maximum support and aid will be provided for any African nation which is not yet a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to join as soon as possible. More efficient measures have to be taken and implemented throughout the continent by full collaboration to stamp out all the epidemic diseases like AIDS, malaria, avian flu, tuberculosis, etc., which kill millions of people every year. A more comprehensive cooperation is a must to participate more actively in the globalization process.

The chairman of Turkiye’s Union of Chambers and Stock Exchanges, Rifat Hisarcýklýoðlu, in his speech touched on the possibility of doubling Turkiye’s trade volume with the African nations in a short time, a realistic goal since “the barriers in front of business and investments are removed,” he added. TUSKON chair Rýzanur Meral also addressed the audience, noting that the African guests will hold trade discussions with 3,300 Business from 40 cities. “We estimate some 35,000 interviews will take place by the end of the summit,” he said. Turkish Exporters’ Assembly (TÝM) chair Oðuz Satýcý told the audience of Turkiye’s target of reaching $500 billion in yearly exports by 2023, the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Turkish Republic. “We are looking for partners for this target. I invite you all to this partnership. I invite you to share all the profit, the wealth out of this target,” he said.

The summit is hosting delegates from Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Algeria, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Morocco, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Cameroon, Kenya, Comoros, Liberia, Mali, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Mauritania, Egypt, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Central Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Senegal and Yemen.

Comoros Vice President Idi Nadheim; Central African Republic Prime Minister Elie Dote; Equatorial Guinea Foreign Affairs Minister Pastor Miche Ondo Bile; Mauritian Industry Minister Rajeshwar Jeetah; Nigerian Energy Minister Fidelis Topgun; Central African Republic State Minister Abdul Karim Meckassoua; Central African Republic Trade Minister Rosalie K. Mologbama; Tanzanian Agriculture Minister Burhani Saadat Haji; Tanzanian Trade Minister Samia Suluhu Hassan; Ugandan Industry and Trade Minister Janat B.Mukwaya; Cameroonian Trade Minister Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana; Ethiopian Trade and Industry Minister Girma Birru; and Eritrean Trade and Industry Minister Gergis Teklemichael attended the summit.

TODAY’S ZAMAN


Comments from guest ministers

Deputy Minister of Commerce Manuel Cruz Neto, Angola: Angola is growing rapidly; oil and diamonds are important industries and their trade volume is increasing. Yet the effects of the 30-year war still continue. We are looking for partnerships from Turkiye and we are expecting support from Turkiye for infrastructure investments in agriculture, industry and finance. There may be some problems in trade, but there are still great opportunities. Turkiye has the capability and Africa has the potential. We can cross this bridge together.

Minister of Culture and Commerce Youssouf Abassalah, Chad: We were welcomed very well, right from our landing at the airport. This [meeting] shows a natural collaboration and built a natural bridge to the future of Africa. We are waiting for investors to provide economic diversity in oil-rich Chad.

Health Minister Makwenge Kaput, Democratic Republic of Congo: I want to say three messages from my country: Congo citizens want me to convey their fraternity; Africa is still alive, and democratic elections have been held since the war; and lastly my republic is like a development plot and needs your profession for its reconstruction.

Foreign Minister Pator Micha Ondo Bile, Equatorial Guinea: The uniqueness of the meeting underlines the importance of commercial relations settled in the forum. Turkiye has achieved great successes, and we want to benefit from its experiences.

Minister of Commerce and Industry Girma Birru, Ethiopia: The main problems for Africans are developing sustainable growth and reducing poverty. There is a need for more foreign capital. We will give priority to ready-to-wear and construction materials production. Turkiye is really a good trade partner. We are expecting investments in the agricultural, textiles and leather industries.

Commerce Minister Samia Suluhu Hassan, Tanzania: Tanzania has a population of 1 million and its per capita income is $320. We want to change the economic shape of the country and are expecting new investments. I propose that Turkish investors use my country to access the East Africa markets.

Minister of Commerce Ali Abdulaziz Al Ýsavi, Libya: Trade [between Turkiye and Africa] increased to $15 billion from $5 billion. These numbers are unbelievable. This bridge is not only a trade bridge, it is also an investment bridge. These have to be carried out together. You can see Libya as a window to the whole of Africa.

Commerce Minister Habi Mahamadou Salisu, Niger: This is the second time we have come here, the Turkish Confederation of Business and Industrialists (TUSKON) is building this bridge for the second time. We passed across the bridge last year and provided many Turkish investors [with the opportunity] to invest in Africa. We want to overcome poverty in my country with Turkiye’s help. We did not come here alone, we came here with Business. Come and invest in Niger, but learn about it first. There is serenity and happiness there.
Minister of Commerce Rosalie Koudougueret Mologbama, Central African Republic: Our country is at the heart of Africa. Four million people live in 600,000 square kilometers. We are signing many trade deals, but we hope we can sign the most important deal with Turkiye.