Turkey seeks to enhance trade ties with Africa

Nearly 1,500 businessmen representing 41 African countries took part in the World Intersectoral Cooperation Forum in Istanbul. Opportunity for these representatives of the continent to exchange with their Turkish counterparts.

Increasing trade between Turkey and Africa to 4.5 billion dollars is the objective set by the Global Forum for Intersectoral Cooperation. The initiative also aims to increase the notoriety of Turkish SMEs on the continent. Its approach is innovative.

"Now is the time to understand Africa and partner with Africa for its future. It is time to build strategic partnerships with Africa. Don't help Africa anymore. Africa doesn't does need aid. Africa needs investment. Africa needs partnerships,” said Utku Bengisu, Chairman of the Global Forum for Cross-Sectoral Cooperation and Founder of Africa Trade Centres.

The Forum also wants to establish export connections, ensure that Turkey is not foreign to African markets, which it does not know very well, and increase the visibility of Turkish SMEs in Africa.

And Ankara does not intend to be in the lace: Turkey's exports to Africa will exceed 100 billion dollars in the new century and I want the Republic of Turkey to talk about exports of 500 billion dollars underlined the President of the Forum.