President Erdoğan started his speech by congratulating the Ministry of Trade, Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK), and all related institutions for organizing the event.
He expressed his satisfaction that the forum, first held in 2016, had evolved into a platform where participants from all around Africa supported concrete projects and resolutions. Erdoğan stated, "I sincerely hope that the forum will be beneficial and lay the groundwork for new collaborations."
In 2005, we declared it the year of Africa in our country, opening a new chapter in our relations with the continent. Twenty years have passed since that day. In these two decades, we have brought our relations to unimaginable levels, hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, and most importantly, heart to heart.
We are extremely pleased that Turkey-Africa relations have reached the level of strategic partnership through our joint efforts. This year we also mark the 21st year of our observer status in the African Union. Next year, we will organize the fourth Turkey-Africa partnership summit. I believe this significant summit, for which preparations have begun, will be a new milestone in our efforts towards the development and prosperity of the continent.
We have a deep-rooted love and friendship with the African continent that dates back to the 10th century. From Timbuktu to Harare, from Cairo to Cape Town, there are indelible traces, memories of this friendship, brotherhood, and shared fate in many cities. I proudly say in your presence that I am a politician who has made over 50 visits to the continent during my tenure.
I was the first head of government to visit Mogadishu in 2011 after many years. I have been a guest of my brothers and sisters in every corner of Africa, from the far north to the far south, from the west to the east. Through these visits, I had the opportunity to get to know Mama Africa's rich culture and warm-hearted people closely. Although our faces and the colors of our eyes may differ, I personally saw in many places from Somalia to Sudan that the color of our tears is the same.
