Türkiye strives to boost ties with all African countries, says foreign minister

By Merve Aydogan

ANKARA (AA) - The Turkish foreign minister on Monday said Türkiye "works hard" to strengthen its ties with all African countries, stressing in particular South Africa, his first stop on a five-nation African tour.

"Today, we maintain strong ties with the descendants of Abu Bakr Effendi, who laid the foundation of our friendship with South Africa," said Mevlut Cavusoglu at the inauguration of a new chancellery building at the Turkish Consulate in Cape Town, South Africa.

Effendi was a prominent Turkish scholar sent to South Africa in the 19th century by Sultan Abdul-Aziz Khan to spread the message of Islam. The legacy of Effendi and other Ottomans who came to reside at the Cape can still be felt after more than 150 years through their writings.

Some Ottoman descendants are now well-known in South Africa, among them judges, doctors, and even politicians.

Saying that Türkiye reaches out to its citizens across the globe via its 257 missions, Cavusoglu said the number of Turkish foreign missions put it among the top five worldwide.

"Our representations enable us at the same time to expand our economic and cultural relations," he added.

With Turkish Airlines' Istanbul-Cape Town charter flights, connections between the peoples of the two nations grew, said Cavusoglu, urging further interaction to promote the "beauties, potential, and opportunities" of both countries.

On bilateral trade, Cavusoglu said it develops each day, pointing to last year’s 50% rise to $3 billion.

He expressed hopes to increase the bilateral trade volume to $10 billion.

After South Africa, Cavusoglu is due to proceed to Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Gabon, and Sao Tome and Principe.

Cavusoglu also announced the Turkish Maarif Foundation's plans to open another school in Cape Town in 2024.

The Turkish Maarif Foundation, established in 2016, is undertaking an important role in the fight against the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) in the education sector. The terror group has a network of private schools abroad as a revenue stream to support its illegal activities.

FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the 2016 defeated coup in Türkiye which left 251 people dead and 2,734 injured.

Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.