Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu speaks at a press conference following the Turkey-Africa Second Ministerial Review Conference in Istanbul, Turkey, on Feb. 12, 2018. (Xinhua/Anadolu Agency)
ISTANBUL, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Turkey and some African countries pledged on Monday to boost cooperation with new development projects.
"New business opportunities are emerging every day for our businessmen," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said at a ministerial Turkey-Africa review conference, the second of its kind, in Istanbul.
"We are encouraging them to come together and evaluate these opportunities in time," Cavusoglu said, adding Turkey and the African countries are committed to developing ties in a win-win perspective.
Ministers from 19 African states are in Istanbul for a two-day meeting to explore a wide range of new cooperation areas and set the agenda for next year's third Turkey-Africa summit.
Thomas Kwesi Quartey, deputy chair of the African Union Commission, called on Turkish companies to create more job opportunities on the continent. Addressing a press conference, he said as the population of African countries is becoming younger and more dynamic every day, the demand for employment is on the rise as well.
The African Union declared Turkey as a strategic partner in 2008, and Turkey-Africa ties have developed steadily in all fields over the years.
In September 2017, Turkey opened a military base in Mogadishu, Somalia, the country's first on the continent as well as its largest overseas military facility.
