Holding a joint press conference with his Angolan counterpart Joao Lourenco, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hailed the strengthened ties between the two countries.
"African countries have been exploited for hundreds of years. The foreign occupiers sponged off Angola for 400 years. The resources of most of the African countries were extorted by the Western powers. In particular, France used the African continent as a colonial area. Was the voice of persecuted Africans heard when they were massacred, especially in Algeria?" Erdoğan underlined in his comments.
"We have a demand for a fair world, we have to collaborate on its issue. We should not be afraid, as we fear, this persecution will engulf the whole of the African region. We need to stand up for our rights," the Turkish leader said in a statement.
"You can still witness what has been happening in Libya, and also in Somalia. The persecution still continues, it is not over. We need to build a fairer world together. We need to work together," Erdoğan concluded while calling for global efforts to build a fairer world order.
There are significant cooperation opportunities between Turkey and Angola in the defense and energy fields, the Turkish president said on Monday.
Visiting Angola as part of his Africa tour, Erdoğan said in a news conference with his Angolan counterpart Joao Lourenco that Angola previously requested Turkish-made UAVs, while Monday's talks also included armoured carriers.
Angola previously requested Turkish-made UAVs, today's talks also included armored carriers, Erdoğan said.
"In the last 19 years, Turkey has taken many steps in the field of the defense industry that also struck Angola's attention," noted Erdoğan, adding that the countries' defense ministers will hold further discussions.
The Turkish-African business forum will be held in Turkey on Oct. 21-22, while the Turkish African Cooperation summit will be held in Istanbul on Dec. 17-18, Erdoğan also said, highlighting that both meetings will usher in "a new era" between Turkish and African relations.
The two countries can improve cooperation in tourism, education, and trade sectors as well, adding especially that the goal is to reach a $500 million bilateral trade volume.
The president also said that Turkish Airlines already started launching direct flights from Istanbul to Luanda on Oct. 13.
"It is well known that Turkey is quite transparent in its approaches towards African countries. We have 43 embassies on the continent, and we are developing our relations with all African countries on the basis of mutual respect, solidarity and win-win."
"We are deepening our cooperation with the African Union, of which we are a strategic partner, in a way that will contribute to the growth of peace, stability and prosperity on the entire continent," Erdoğan said.
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was welcomed by his Angolan counterpart Joao Lourenco in capital Angola on Monday with an official ceremony at the Presidential Palace.
Before the dignitaries began their talks, the national anthems of both countries were played during the ceremony.
The Turkish president also saluted the guard of honor at the ceremonial ground. After Erdoğan and Lourenco introduced their delegations to each other, a gun salute was fired.
Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Dönmez, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, Trade Minister Mehmet Muş, Communications Director Fahrettin Altun, Presidential Spokesman İbrahim Kalın, and other Turkish officials attended the ceremony.
This trip is the first official visit from Turkey at the presidential level to Angola.
Erdoğan is also expected to address Angola's parliament. Later, he will visit the Memorial of Dr. Antonio Agostinho Neto, the country's first president who died in 1979.
The president later will attend the Angola-Turkey Business Forum organized by Turkey's Foreign Economic Relations Board.
Erdoğan's scheduled African tour also includes Togo and Nigeria, which is considered significant for new cooperation opportunities in Africa.
President of Angola Joao Lourenco welcomed Erdoğan's statements on cooperation saying "We look positively to this cooperation. The future will be bright for Turkey and Angola."
Angola President added that in the past three months Angola-Turkey relations have developed quite rapidly. During the Turkish leader's visit various aggreements in different fields were signed between the two countries, he said. Laurenco also recalled the "important cooperation agreements" that were signed during his visit to Turkey in July.
Angola's leader spoke to Turkish investors too, stating that investments in Angola will open way for other trade and investment opportunities in other African countries.
"Among African countries, Angola is striving to be better and modern. With Turkey's investments here, both countries will gain and we will be able to produce and sell in other countries in the region," Laurenco said.
