Anatolian Agency
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Haziran 27, 2008 15:47
Turkey's Foreign Minister Ali Babacan has said that he would invite African leaders to attend a summit in Turkey in August.
Babacan, who is currently in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt to attend the executive council meeting prior to the 11th African Union heads of state and government summit in Sharm el Sheikh, met with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Ali Aboul Gheit.
"For the first time, Turkey attends a meeting of the African Union on the ministerial level," Babacan said during the meeting.
"Turkey became a strategic partner of the African Union as of January 2008. We will hold the African Union summit in Turkey periodically. The first summit will take place in August. My visit to Sharm el Sheikh aims at inviting African leaders to Turkey in August. We also target to further improve our bilateral relations with African nations," he said.
Babacan said a special session would take place at the end of the meeting on Turkey-Africa relations. "I will deliver a speech at the session. I will also hold talks with leaders and foreign ministers of several African countries."
The African Union is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 53 African nations.
Established on July 9, 2002, the Union was formed as a successor to the amalgamated African Economic Community (AEC) and the Organization of African Unity (OAU). Its headquarters is in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The objectives of the Union include to accelerate the political and socio-economic integration of the continent; to promote and defend African common positions on issues of interest to the continent and its peoples; to achieve peace and security in Africa; and to promote democratic institutions, good governance and human rights.
Turkey, Japan, India and the People's Republic of China are the strategic partners of the Union.
Babacan later on Friday will hold bilateral talks with Malavi Foreign Minister Joyce Hilda Binda, Ghana's Foreign Minister Alvasi Osei Adjei and Mozambique's Foreign Minister Oldemiro Baloi and discuss relations and trade opportunities between Turkey and these countries.
Babacan also met Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki.
Malki told reporters after the meeting that they discussed bilateral relations and the recent developments in the Middle East.
