Turkish businesspeople want to boost trade with Africa on win-win basis

By Gokhan Ergocun

ISTANBUL (AA) - ​​​​​​​Turkish businesspeople aim to take trade and investment relations with Africa to new heights while adhering to the win-win principle, the head of Türkiye's Foreign Economic Relations Board said on Friday.

"But, while we understand the win-win principle as 'I win, you win,' most developed countries understand it as 'I win, I win again,'" Nail Olpak said at the Türkiye-Africa Business and Economic Forum in Istanbul.

"Just as they understand justice as the strong is right," he stressed.

One of the axes of increasing Türkiye's economic relations with Africa will be to increase the dialogue environment where Turkish and African women will come together, he noted.

The transformative role of women leaders in Africa's business world is increasing, he said, adding: "In Africa, the continent with the highest number of women entrepreneurs in the world, 70% of trade between countries is conducted by women and 58% of these women are self-employed."

The two-day forum, which began on Thursday, brings together experts, businesspeople, top officials, and representatives from institutions from Türkiye and African countries in Istanbul.