The Pan Afrikanist Watchman

The 3rd Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit was held on December 16-18, 2021 in Istanbul with the theme ‘Enhanced Partnership for Common Development and Prosperity’.

The summit was the most comprehensive Africa-themed international event held during the pandemic period. It follows the 1st Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit that was held in Istanbul in August 2008 and the 2nd Summit held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, in November 2014.

Indeed Turkey’s strategic partnership with the African Continent has been deepened and strengthened in the last decade. For instance, Turkey obtained observer status at the African Union in April 2005.

The year 2008 on the other hand, marked a milestone in Turkish-African relations, as Turkey was declared a strategic partner of the Continent, at the 10th African Union Summit in January 2008.

From 38 African countries 16 Heads of State and Government including the Chairperson of African Union Commission H.E. Mahamat, President Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo, President Kagame of Ruanda, President Buhari of Nigeria,
President Sall of Senegal, as well as more than 100 Ministers, including 25 Foreign Ministers, participated in the 3rd Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit on December 16-18, 2021.

Turkey’s strong will to meet with Africa paved the way for this important event, despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. The high level of participation from African countries also confirmed Africa’s commitment and readiness to take Turkey-Africa relations to new heights.

During the Summit, a Joint Declaration and a Joint Action Plan for 2022-2026 were adopted. The Joint Declaration gives a strategic direction to the relations between Turkey and the African continent in all areas, for the period until the next Summit.

As it is stated in the Declaration, Turkey-Africa cooperation is built on trust and respect, reciprocity, and mutual benefit. Parties committed to further strengthening and deepening cooperation in the interest of their peoples. While encompassing most areas covered by Agenda 2063, the five-year Joint Action Plan mainly focused on the themes of peace, security, and justice; human-focused development; strong and sustainable growth.

It foresees several cooperation projects to be implemented in
the sub-fields of Peace, Security and Governance; Trade, Investment, and Industry; Education, Information Technologies and Innovation Skills, Youth and Women’s Development; Infrastructure Development and Agriculture; Development of Health Systems.

Strengthening peace and security, democracy, respect for human rights, good governance, justice, and the rule of law are common aspirations for both Africa and Turkey.

On this theme, the Action Plan covers many collaboration projects such as military and police training, junior diplomats training, support to consolidation of post-conflict reconstruction and development and peacebuilding efforts, collaboration on conflict prevention and mediation, exchange of expertise, and capacity building in the fight against terrorism, violent extremism and organized crime, justice reform and others.

Human-focused development theme covers collaboration projects on a wide range of areas including health, COVID-19 emergency response in Africa, general and tertiary education, vocational training and skills development, youth entrepreneurship and empowerment, gender equality, science, technology, rural development, environmental protection, natural disasters
preparedness and intervention and others.

Sustainable growth theme encompasses joint actions on support to SMMEs, private sector development, experience sharing on special economic zones, e-commerce, manufacturing promotion, increased business and investment opportunities for both parties, mining, tourism, digital agricultural initiatives, irrigation techniques, and water management, renewable energy, transportation, ICT and others.

During the summit, Ministerial sessions on agriculture, education, and health were also held. In the Joint Declaration, Turkey and the African Union reiterated their commitment to cooperate in alleviating the destructive consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on populations and economies.

Cooperation in the field of health also includes maternal health, local manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, and healthcare reform.
Turkey pledged to donate 15 million Covid-19 vaccines to African countries.

In the margins of the Summit, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Turkey and the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was signed.

The MoU foresees exchange of experience and training programs in the areas of preferential trade in goods and services, trade facilitation, customs procedures, technical legislation harmonization processes, capacity building on implementation of the AfCFTA, collaboration on industrial and regional value chain development, etc.

This MoU constitutes the third legal instrument that the AFCTA signed with a partner country after the UK and China. The summit decided to establish appropriate follow-up mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation of agreed areas of cooperation.

The Joint Declaration noted that the next summit will convene in Africa in 2026. Africa is a priority for Turkish foreign policy. Turkey has long-standing historical and cultural connections with the continent, dating back centuries.

The number of Turkish Embassies on the African continent increased from 12 to 43 in the last two decades while the number of Embassies of African countries in Turkey also increased to 37 after Turkey was declared a strategic partner of the AU.

The number of African students benefiting from scholarships granted by Turkey has exceeded 14,000. The total trade volume between Turkey and the African Continent has increased almost six-fold in the last two decades and reached 30 billion dollars.

The target is to increase trade volume to 50 billion dollars and then to 75 billion dollars, on a balanced and sustainable basis, through joint efforts.

The total value of Turkey’s direct investments in Africa exceeded 6 billion dollars, while the total value of projects undertaken by Turkish contracting companies in Africa is close to 78 billion
dollars, creating 25.000 local jobs.

Speaking at the opening of the Summit, Turkish President H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdogan said:

“We want to develop together and increase the welfare of our people together. We have worked to advance our cooperation on ‘equal partnership and win-win’ basis.

“We have always rejected contemptuous perspectives towards the continent. Turkey will continue to cooperate with Africa on several issues, including reducing poverty, development, and epidemics.”

President Erdogan said during the pandemic Turkey ranked second in the world in terms of medical aid, with contributions to a total of 160 states, including 44 African countries and 12 international organizations.

Erdogan said, “It is a grave injustice that African continent, being home to 1,3 billion people, has no right to speak and to decide in the Security Council. I believe that we should cooperate to
ensure that Africa is represented in the Security Council in a way it deserves.”

H.E. Felix Tshisekedi, president of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the African Union President said, Turkey, a country showing solidarity with Africa in all aspects, has paved the way for a historic summit. He hailed Turkey’s win-win approach towards Africa and endeavour for mutual prosperity. Speaking about infrastructure, Tshisekedi mentioned Africa’s difficulties in the provision of electricity and water resources to all of its citizens.

“We have ample water resources, we want Turkey’s expertise to use this in our continent,” he said. Citing hardships faced by African countries due to COVID-19, he said there is a need to strengthen the health system in the continent.

H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairman of the African Union Commission, stressed that Africa seeks to benefit from Turkey’s strong industrial and trade power within the scope of its partnership with the country.

“Both parties are keen to work together,” Mahamat underlined.
Noting that Turkey has an advantage of never having colonial ties with Africa, Mahamat said this situation offers a partnership based on egalitarian principles.

He stressed African countries’ willingness to make added-value production with raw materials and basic goods it imported. The partnership with Turkey is welcomed by all participants of the summit, Mahamat said, adding: “In order to generate a positive outcome we should focus on peace.”

As some African countries struggle with terrorism, he said permanent finance from the UN is a need for the continent to be able to defend itself.

Highlighting that development is a must to ensure peace, Mahamat said: “For this, stability and peace are indispensable. Peace is the priority of the African continent.”