Turkey aims to increase trade volume with Sudan

October 19, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — Turkey aims to increase trade volume with Sudan to one billion USD in the next three years, Turkish agriculture minister said on Monday.

Turkey-Sudan Investment and Trade Forum began yesterday in Khartoum where over 150 Turkish businessmen who seek investment or business in Sudan. The Turkey’s Agriculture and Rural Affairs Minister Mehdi Eker leads the important delegation.

Addressing the forum, attended by the Sudanese President Omer Al-Bashir, minister Eker said turkey seek strategic partnership with Sudan, adding that his country plans to enhance its economic presence in Africa and Sudan could be a gateway the the continent.

More than 2,000 Turkish businessmen and 80 Turkish companies are active in Sudan with an investment of around 115 million USD.

Turkey plans to open diplomatic missions in ten African countries, including Mozambique, Cameroon, Ghana, Central African Republic, Uganda, Ivory Coast, Niger, Angola, Madagascar and Mali.

In a speech delivered earlier today, President Al-Bashir pledged to remove obstacles to visa and residence permit for the Turkish investors. Bashir also directed to grant special privileges to Turkish investors and to remove all the problems impeding the Turkish workers in Sudan.

Sudanese minister of agriculture Abdel-Halim Ismail Al-Muaafi announced the allocation of fertile land to Turkish investors, pointing to the exemption granted by the President for investments in agriculture.

The minister called to increase the volume of trade exchange between the two countries, which did not exceed $ 200 million since 2008. He further urged the visiting investors to set up projects in manufacturing agricultural, chemical and food industries.

(ST)