UPDATE 2 - Turkey ready to share its know-how with Africa: Erdogan

UPDATES WITH FURTHER QUOTES FROM ERDOGAN, NYUSI

By Enes Kaplan, Ilkay Guder, Ibrahim Tigili and Ilhan Toprak

MAPUTO, Mozambique (AA) - Turkey is ready to share its experience and know-how with Africa in many sectors, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesay.

“We are ready to share our experience in these areas with our African brothers,” Erdogan said at a news conference with his Mozambican counterpart Filipe Nyusi. “I think we should do this on a win-win basis.”

Mozambique is the second stop on a tour that has also taken Erdogan to Tanzania and will see him arrive in Madagascar on Wednesday as he seeks to deepen economic links to the continent.

He added: “As of November 2016, the trade volume between our countries is $103 million… We believe that this trade volume between Mozambique and Turkey will first reach $250 million and then $500 million.

“With the cultural wealth and great economic potential it possesses, Mozambique has managed to become one of the African continent’s most stable countries.”

Erdogan said the Turkish Cooperation Coordination Agency (TIKA) planned to open an office in Maputo.

The president warned Nyusi to guard against the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) said to be behind the July coup attempt in Turkey.

“We discussed the fight against FETO’s July 15 coup attempt with Mozambique’s president,” he said.

“We asked for their support on this issue because this organization, which has a network spread throughout the world, will definitely do the same here if they have infiltrated some positions in Mozambique, just like they entered the armed forces, police units and state institutions in our country.”

Ankara holds FETO responsible for the July 15 attempted coup, which martyred 248 people and wounded around 2,200 others.

In addition to the deadly coup attempt, Ankara has said FETO is behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.

- Six agreements

Turkey and Mozambique signed agreements covering six areas in a signing ceremony in the capital Maputo.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu signed two memorandums of understanding -- a mutual visa exemption agreement and a political consultation mechanism for diplomatic services and special passport holders -- between the two countries.

A trade and economic cooperation agreement and another on the protection of mutual investments were signed by Turkish Economic Minister Nihat Zeybekci.

Culture and tourism memoranda of understanding were also agreed.

Erdogan and Nyusi attended a Turkey-Mozambique business forum where the Turkish leader addressed around 700 business figures and highlighted Turkey’s economic potential as the sixth biggest economy in Europe and the fastest-growing economy in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

“Our investment in the continent has reached $6 billion,” he said, referring to Africa. “Turkish investors have provided the most local job opportunities in Africa.

“As Turkey, we are aware of the economic potential of Mozambique. We closely follow the economic development of the country. We are ready to provide the best support to our friends.”

Underlining Turkey's recent economic development, Erdogan said his country had huge experience in infrastructure and superstructure that could be shared with Mozambique.

Nyusi called on Turkish entrepreneurs to investment more in his country.

“Mainly, we want our country to develop more in the energy, infrastructure, agriculture and tourism sectors," he said, adding that the government had prepared a five-year development plan and built new airports and rail lines to attract and help foreign investment.

Nyusi vowed to support to Turkish businesses in joint investment in Mozambique.