President Erdoğan: The essence of our relations with Africa is sincerity and solidarity
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo of the Democratic Republic of the Congo held a joint press conference at the Presidential Complex following their tête-à-tête.
Describing the Democratic Republic of the Congo as an important partner for Turkey in Africa, President Erdoğan said: “I believe that this historic visit, a first at the presidential level from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Turkey, will lead to a new chapter in the relations between our two countries.”
“WE HAVE SET A TARGET OF RAISING OUR BILATERAL TRADE VOLUME TO 250 MILLION DOLLARS”
President Erdoğan said: “During our talks with my treasured friend, we have had the opportunity to address all aspects of our relations. We have mutually reaffirmed our will to enhance our cooperation. We will exert intensive efforts jointly so as to elevate our economic and commercial relations to a level befitting our friendship. We have set a target of raising our bilateral trade volume to 250 million dollars in the first phase. The agreements we have just signed will immensely contribute to the attainment of this target.”
Voicing Turkey’s desire to expand cooperation as regards security and the fight against terror as well, President Erdoğan thanked his Congolese counterpart for the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s sincere support for Turkey’s fight against the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).
Noting that the Democratic Republic of the Congo showed solidarity with Turkey by transferring the FETO-affiliated school in Kinshasa to the Turkish Maarif Foundation in 2018, President Erdoğan said: “Currently 538 students receive education at the school, where Turkish and Congolese teachers are on duty. We are pleased to see the increasingly successful performance of the school. We expect the authorities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to continue their strong support for the school and our fight against the FETO.”
Recalling that DRC President Tshisekedi is also the current Chairman of the African Union, President Erdoğan drew attention to his Congolese counterpart’s important contributions to the stability and development of Africa.
“BOOSTING OUR COOPERATION WITH AFRICA IS A BASIC PRINCIPLE OF OUR HUMANITARIAN FOREIGN POLICY”
President Erdoğan stressed the importance Turkey attaches to its relations with Africa, and added: “We believe that the most lasting and the most realistic solutions to the problems of the continent can be found by our African brothers and sisters themselves. It is one of the basic principles of our humanitarian and enterprising foreign policy that we boost our relations and cooperation with Africa. The essence of our relations with Africa is sincerity, brotherhood and solidarity. We will be working to develop cooperation with the countries of the continent on the win-win and equal partnership principle.”
Highlighting the significant momentum Turkey has achieved in its ties with Africa through the policies of opening and cooperation Ankara has been following from 2003 onwards, President Erdoğan pointed to the two Turkey-Africa Partnership Summits, the first in Istanbul in 2008 and the second in Malabo in 2014, and recalled that he visited 28 African countries throughout his terms in office as the prime minister and president.
President Erdoğan continued as follows: “We stood by our African brothers and sisters with the medial supplies we delivered during the pandemic. We will carry way further this strong momentum in our relations with the continent. We have also discussed the preparations for the third Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit that we envisage to hold with the African Union, of which we are a strategic partner.”
