End of the Africa-Turkey summit with the signing of a 5-year cooperation plan
Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan and Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi during the Turkey-Africa summit, December 18, 2021. AFP - MURAT CETIN MUHURDAR
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
The Africa-Turkey summit ended this Saturday, December 18 with the signing of a cooperation plan for the next five years.
16 presidents and heads of government made the trip, such as Paul Kagame, Macky Sall or Muhammadu Buhari, as well as a hundred ministers.
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With our special
correspondent in Istanbul,
Charlotte Cosset
Forty countries from the continent were represented and the 2022-2026 roadmap was validated between Turkey and Zlecaf (The African Continental Free Trade Area). It is in a declaration of ten pages which was signed at the end of the summit that
the main areas of work for the coming years
are detailed: peace, security, infrastructure, trade, industry, education ... from fishing to the post office to the training of the defense forces.
This is particularly the safety Moussa Faki, chairman of
the AU Commission
, insisted: "
We pleaded with the Security Council for almost 10 years already but we could not get sustainable funding on United Nations resources.
The President of the DRC Félix Tshisekedi, at the head of the presidency of the AU, also insisted on the investment needs, the expertise and the support desired by the African countries.
For his part,
President Erdogan
highlighted “
the haughty, pretentious and orientalist approaches
” of the other partners.
He considered it essential that the continent be permanently represented on the UN Security Council.
"
It is a great injustice that there is no representative at the United Nations among the 5 when Africa has 1.3 billion inhabitants," said
Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In order for Africa to be properly represented on the Security Council, I am convinced that we must show solidarity.
Despite those who profit from this status quo, we are determined to fight this injustice.
"
Erdogan promises 15 million doses of anti-Covid-19 vaccines
For his part, Félix Tshisekedi praised Turkey's efforts but wanted to be pragmatic: “
I would like to remind you that the main axes of our cooperation require concrete projects with visible impact for the general well-being of our respective populations.
Indeed, the principle of equitable, win-win cooperation was the central point of the speeches of the leaders.
The Turkish president concluded the summit with a new invitation to the countries of the continent for the 2nd diplomacy forum organized in Antalia next March.
He also pledged to send 15 million doses of anti-Covid vaccines to Africa, left behind in global distribution despite the appearance and first identification of the new Omicron variant in South Africa and Botswana.
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