High level meeting convenes to prepare for the Africa/Turkey Summit

Addis Ababa, 19th June 2013 – A high level official meeting of Africa - Turkey partnership convened today Wednesday 19th June 2013 at the African Union headquarters with a focus on the preparations of the upcoming 2nd Africa-Turkey Summit.

Ambassador Konjit Sinegorgis, permanent representative of Ethiopia to the AU and current Chair of the Permanent Representative Committee in her opening remarks appreciated the “excellent” bilateral relations between Turkey and most African countries. She further said "Ordinary citizens of Africa and Turkey as well as the rest of the world should know, appreciate and draw lessons from the strategic cooperation that exists between our continent and Turkey at multilateral level".(Find the full speech of Amb. Konjit on AU website: www.au.int)

Ambassador Jean-Baptist Natama, Chief of Staff, Bureau of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), in his statement said the AUC is witnessing the continuous progress of the partnership between African countries and Turkey at the bilateral level and the continuous increase in the volume and diversification of trade between the two sides. The Ambassador stressed on the need to create closer relations between African and Turkish business communities through organization of trade and investment promotion events and creation of joint structure for more opportunities for expanding trade and investment between the two sides.

Ambassador Jean-Baptist Natama emphasized that the progress made by the current partnership between the two sides is to make sure that it meets Africa's expectations in terms of integration and development of the Continent. The AUC Chief of Staff concluded his statement by assuring that the African side will do its level best to ensure the 2nd Africa-Turkey Summit a great success. “. (Find the full speech of Chief of Staff on AU website: www.au.int)

Ambassador Birnur Fertekligir, Deputy under Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey on her part briefed the meeting on the project of Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency (TICA) to the African continent. She further stressed on the need of close collaboration between her country and the African continent for a better and successful partnership in the different areas of mutual interest between the two sides.