STATEMENT OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION
HE Dr. NKOSAZANA DLAMINI ZUMA TO THE SECOND AFRICA TURKEY SUMMIT

Malabo, 21 November 2014

Your Excellency Mohamed Abdel Aziz, President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania and Chairperson of the African Union,

Your Excellency Teodoro Nguema Mbasogo, President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea and our Host,

Your Excellencies African Heads of State and Government and Heads of delegations;

Your Excellency Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Turkey,

Your Excellency the Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission and AU Commissioners;

Excellencies, Heads of AU Organs;

Members of the Diplomatic Corps;

Distinguished Invited Guests;

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Allow me, first and foremost, to express our appreciation and gratitude to the Government and people of Equatorial Guinea for hosting this Summit on behalf of Africa and for their warm hospitality.

Much has happened since the first Summit of the Africa-Turkey Cooperation forum held in August 2008. For the past five years, Africa has consistently posted 7 out of the world’s 10 fastest growing economies. In the same period, Africa has seen the emergence of the world’s fastest growing consumer class. Our social indicators are encouraging: more of our children are in school today with girl’s enrolment increasing considerably.

The world economic landscape has changed, with China having overtaken Japan as the world’s second largest economy. In the same period the world was hit by a financial and economic crisis, from which we are only now recovering.

More recently, we have been grappling with an outbreak of the Ebola pandemic. Our continent is seized with efforts to extinguish it. Our cellphone networks are working together to create a platform through which every citizen may contribute to the fight against Ebola by sending an SMS. This platform will be launched on the 1st of December. It would be such a great help if Turkey can also partner with us on this initiative

It is on this backdrop that we meet for the Second Africa-Turkey Summit. There is no doubt that we must take stock and exchange notes on developments since the last summit. We must also revisit our priorities. This will allow us to deliberate and plan the nature and scope of our cooperation.

As you may be aware, the continent is developing a vision for the next fifty years, Agenda 2063 – The Africa We Want. Agenda 2063 will ensure that Africa is integrated, people-centered, peaceful and prosperous, and capable of taking its rightful place in the world.

Our top most priority is therefore investing in our people who are in majority young, 70% below 30, and over half are women.

We have to invest in their health by having strong and resilient health systems, also capable of maintaining effective public health responses in face of an epidemic.

• Education and skills, focusing on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and Innovation). They need to have both food and nutrition security. This can only happen if we increase productivity, modernize, mechanize agriculture with infrastructure for irrigation, storage, distribution and access to markets.

• Farmers need to have access to technology, land and capital. There is also need for agro-processing and agribusiness within the CAADP framework and climate smart agriculture.

• Infrastructure is another area that occupies a pride of place in our plans. Energy infrastructure – energy mix, fossil fuels, biomass, geothermal, solar, wind and hydro.

• Highways and rail to link our capitals and commercial centers.

• Aviation infrastructure.

• ICT – broadband infrastructure in the context of PIDA (Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa).

• We also intend developing our Blue Economy and all the infrastructure that goes with it.

• The manufacturing sector needs to be strengthened by adding value and beneficiating our natural and mineral resources.

• Tourism sector has to be developed in the coming decades.

• We can cooperate in silencing the guns on our continent which have to be silent by 2020.

These and other continental policy frameworks I have alluded to are the basis on which Africa seeks to build its partnerships with the rest of the world. By coordinating our policies and priorities at continental level, we hope to benefit from larger economies of scale and uniform standards and procedures, thereby lowering the costs of doing business with each other as well as with external partners.

I have no doubt that the continental policy frameworks I have also alluded to will greatly facilitate Africa-Turkey cooperation by making it easier to identify the critical areas and Africa’s priorities where mutual benefits could be realized by working together.

Your Excellencies;
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am aware that a lot has been done by officials and the Ministers since the last summit five years ago. Indeed, I am aware of the tremendous work that has happened bilaterally between Turkey and a number of African countries.

I must, however, also note that much remains to be done. In this regard, we note that the 2010-2013 Africa-Turkey Action plan remains unimplemented. Indeed, many of the outcomes of the first Africa-Turkey summit are yet to be realized.

Therefore, I think that this summit should, among other things, be an opportunity to reflect upon our cooperation framework, with a view to enriching its purpose and objectives, especially in view of the developments since the last summit.

In addition, the summit should review any progress made, address the issues of how to accelerate implementation of projects and programmes agreed upon, and plan together on the vision as well as challenges of the future and how to overcome them.

I have no doubt, Excellencies, that with the necessary political will and commitment to this important partnership, we can succeed. The African Union Commission will spare no effort in ensuring that its mandate in facilitating this cooperation framework is carried out to the best of our abilities.

I wish you fruitful deliberations.

I thank you.