Türkiye has 'human-oriented approach' to Africa, contrary to Western perspective: Parliament speaker

By Esat Firat

ALGIERS, Algeria (AA) - Türkiye has "a human-oriented approach" in relations with African countries within the framework of the principle of unity, contrary to the perspective of Western countries, account to Turkish parliament speaker Mustafa Sentop.

Sentop shared his thoughts with Anadolu about issues covered in the 17th session of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Member States (PUIC), which ended Monday in Algeria, including Türkiye’s relations with Algeria and Africa, and recent attacks on the Quran in some Western countries.

"We also have historical and cultural ties with a significant part of the people living in these countries. We have religious ties, especially with countries in Northern Africa. We also have cultural ties with other countries in many ways," said Sentop.

Türkiye has a human-oriented foreign policy that applies to everyone, European countries, the US and Africa as well, he said.

Criticizing West-centered orientalist approaches to the African continent, he underlined that the most important feature of Türkiye's relations with African countries is based on mutual respect, sincerity and cooperation.

Ankara's approach to Africa is completely different from others. It is based on a win-win, he said.

"Our business people do not have the same approach as Westerners, such as exploiting human resources, underground and ground sources, and taking them to their own countries. It is not possible for Türkiye to accept such a policy," he said.

- Bilateral ties between Türkiye and Algeria

Türkiye has expanded its diplomatic network in Africa and is constantly trying to develop relations in the political and commercial fields, he said, adding, it knows "the power, influence, and strategic importance of Algeria in this regard."

Also, praising ties between Ankara and Algiers, Sentop said: "We have historical, cultural, and religious reasons to base these relations. There are so few countries that have such reasons, to establish good relations. Algeria is an exceptional country for us."

He said Türkiye-Algeria relations have been at a good level since Algeria gained independence.

Beyond bilateral ties, Algeria-Turkey relations has the potential to create "a great synergy" in Africa, the Mediterranean region and the Islamic world, he said.

During Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune's visit to Türkiye in May, many agreements were signed. Later, Türkiye-Algeria relations began to develop in many aspects, he said.

Noting that the trade volume increased 28% in a year to $5.3 billion, he said: “It is an extraordinary development and they are making efforts to move it forward."

- Attacks on Quran

Blaming Europe for a "two-faced, and double-standard" attitude to Islam and Muslims, he said: "The Anti-Islamic perspective and anti-Muslim sentiment in Europe have not changed. The mindset and model crusaders had centuries ago continue exactly in the same way."

Referring to recent attacks against Islam's holy book in Sweden, the Netherlands, and Denmark, he said the attacks carried out under the permission of the governments and police in the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden show that those states are partners in the crime.

The law and human rights for Europeans essentially apply to white, European and Christians, he said.

These countries tried to explain the attacks using freedom of expression and human rights but they changed their tune following the attempt to burn the Torah, he said.

Emphasizing that Muslims essentially believe in the Torah and do not accept insults about it, Sentop said: "The governments of these countries did not allow the Torah to be burned. That is clearly revealed that it is a matter of hypocrisy and double standard, not human rights or freedom of expression."

On Jan. 21, Rasmus Paludan, an extreme-right Swedish-Danish politician, burned the holy Quran outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm, under police protection and with permission from the authorities, drawing a wave of condemnations from across the Arab and Islamic worlds.

The next day, Edwin Wagensveld, a far-right Dutch politician and leader of the Islamophobic group Pegida, tore out pages from Quran in The Hague and burned the pages. He then posted a video of the provocation online.

Last Friday, Paludan burned a copy of the Quran in front of a mosque in Denmark.

Paludan also announced he would burn the Muslim holy book every Friday until Sweden is included in the NATO alliance.