Ties with Africa help ties with EU

The prime minister’s top adviser has reiterated Turkey’s recent overture toward Africa does not mean the country is distancing itself from Europe. "The road to Paris passes through Africa," Ahmet Davutoğlu said at a press briefing here yesterday.

The briefing came after Turkish President Abdullah Gül’s recent visit to Kenya and Tanzania, sparking criticism in the press about Turkey’s foreign-policy orientations. Davutoğlu, one of the top officials shaping foreign policy, said Turkey’s increased presence in Africa would only facilitate connections with Europe.

New era in Africa
Africa is on the verge of a new era and Turkey needs to grasp the new realities on the ground, Davutoğlu said,. "A country that undermines Africa can not have an international standing," he said, adding that Africa’s vast natural resources and need for infrastructure provided ample economic opportunities for the Turkish business world as well.

Task force for Africa
Ambassador Ünal Çeviköz said a strategy paper would be prepared and distributed to all relevant state institutions through the prime minister’s office, which would set main targets for relations with Africa and talk about future steps to be taken to improve Turkey’s relations with the continent.

A task force has been established with the coordination of the Foreign Ministry to determine the areas of economic cooperation, especially with sub-Saharan Africa, added Çeviköz, who is also the deputy undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry. He said the legal infrastructure should be strengthened by signing agreements that encourage investment and prevent double taxation.

Turkey has been criticized for its relations with Sudan, especially for twice hosting its controversial president, Omar al-Bashir, who has been accused of conducting genocide in Darfur. Davutoğlu said it was impossible to accept the current policies in Darfur and that Turkey has raised the issue with al-Bashir.

"We are for the territorial integrity of Sudan," he said. "We also pursue a strategy to stop the human tragedy and internal warfare."

Saying that no country was suspending its relations with Sudan, he added: "If we want to be part of the solution, we need to have actors who maintain their influence.

Turkish diplomats conducted indirect talks between the two countries, which were suspended following Israel’s offensive in Gaza.