—Statement by the Togolese Minister of Foreign Affairs in an exclusive interview with Anadolu Agency.

AA / Lomé / Alphonse LOGO

On the eve of the first working and friendship visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Togo, as part of an African tour that began on Sunday, October 17, 2021, Prof. Robert Dussey, Togolese Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Integration, and Togolese Abroad, granted an exclusive interview to Anadolu Agency (AA). In this interview, the Togolese foreign affairs chief discusses the political, economic, and diplomatic relations between the two countries, Togo and Turkey, which have strengthened in recent months with the opening of a Turkish embassy in Togo.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be welcomed on Tuesday, October 19, by his Togolese counterpart, Faure Gnassingbé, who is expected to be joined by Burkinabe President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré and Liberian President George Weah. A working session between the Togolese and Turkish Presidents is scheduled. The Togolese foreign affairs chief assures that “the economy will play a significant role in the discussions between the two parties.” Togo positions itself as a gateway for foreign investors in Africa. Interview.

AA: For the first time in history, a Turkish president is announced to visit Lomé. How can we explain this visit to Togo now?

Robert Dussey: This visit simply reflects the excellent friendship and cooperation that exist between Togo and Turkey, as well as the convergence of views between the two Heads of State, H.E. Faure Essozimna GNASSINGBE and H.E. Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN, on a number of matters of common interest. This year, Turkey opened an embassy in Lomé, and Togo is also preparing to open its embassy in Ankara.

So, the timing is ideal for the two Heads of State to meet to deepen discussions on these matters and to give a new impetus to cooperation between the two countries. It’s worth noting that 2021 is a special year for Turkey’s relations with Africa in general, as Turkey is actively preparing for the third Turkey-Africa Summit scheduled to take place at the end of the year.

• What can be the political and diplomatic significance of this visit for Togo?

To assess the significance, it’s important to remember that Togo belongs to a regional space, which is West Africa. Therefore, the significance of this visit goes beyond the territory of Togo alone. In its relations with Africa, Turkey aims to significantly contribute to the peace and stability of the continent, a task to which Togo is also committed.

Togo is not the largest country in the sub-region, neither in terms of territory nor the size of its economy. This visit is a form of recognition of the efforts the government is making, under the leadership of President Faure Essozimna GNASSIGBE, to reform its economy to make it more attractive and to create investment opportunities through strategic plans such as the National Development Program (PND) and the Government Roadmap for 2020-2025. It is certainly also recognition of the active role it plays in seeking solutions to the challenging security situation in West Africa.

• In recent months, you have made several visits to Ankara as part of your advocacy for economic diplomacy. It is also known that Togo has positioned itself as the gateway for foreign investors to the African continent. Can we consider that a dynamic is now underway between Turkey and Africa through Togo?

Togo, due to its strategic geographical location, the advantages of the Port of Lomé, the presence of significant financial institutions, and courageous business climate reforms that have consistently earned it high rankings in the Doing Business reports for several years, can indeed serve as a natural gateway for Turkey’s trade and investment in Africa.

Both Heads of State have committed to work towards this, as the economy will play a significant role in discussions between the two parties. As you know, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has been in effect since the beginning of this year. Thanks to this pan-African tool, it is now very easy to deploy any commercial or investment activity from Togo to the rest of the continent.

What is the balance of economic relations between Turkey and Togo?

Between 2017 and 2020, Togo imported $184 million worth of goods from Turkey, primarily textiles, agri-food products, and other manufactured goods. During the same period, Togo exported raw materials to Turkey worth $13 million. As you can see, these exchanges remain limited, although they are gradually increasing.

However, we hope that with the implementation of the economic and trade cooperation agreement signed by our two countries this year and with the impetus from President Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN’s current visit to Togo, economic exchange will accelerate in the coming years. In pursuit of this goal, we will also organize an economic and trade forum between Togo and Turkey here in Lomé to provide an opportunity for Togolese businesspeople to meet their Turkish counterparts and discuss business partnerships.

What changes would you like to see in these relations after President Erdogan’s visit?

There are several areas of cooperation possible between Togo and Turkey, including infrastructure, healthcare, industry, education, agriculture, and more. What Togo would like to emphasize further is investment, both public and private, because while official development assistance is important, investments are essential for achieving economic growth and prosperity. Therefore, Togo wishes for Turkey to become one of its top economic partners, whether in terms of investments or trade.

What will be the agenda of this visit?

This visit will provide an opportunity to discuss, at the highest level, the common areas of interest that I have already mentioned. There are also planned working sessions within mixed thematic groups composed of representatives from the relevant sectoral ministries responsible for the areas under discussion.

There seems to be a kind of rush to Africa’s doorstep by Western nations. How do you explain this?

Africa possesses vast resources and constitutes a significant market. Moreover, it’s a continent where many things are yet to be built. This situation presents opportunities that both more developed countries and multinational companies understand and seek to seize. For these actors, Africa can appear as a sort of Eldorado, hence the rush.

Is Africa the continent of the future, the continent of Western reconquest?

As I mentioned, Africa is rich in invaluable natural resources. These resources can indeed attract interest. African countries are independent and sovereign states.

Of course, our countries need foreign partners to develop all these resources. However, it is up to each country to freely determine the partners and the types of partnerships that are best suited to its situation and that best preserve its interests, particularly those that can contribute to its development and the well-being of its population.

Source : https://www.aa.com.tr/fr/afrique/visite-du-président-erdogan-au-togo-l-économie-au-cœur-des-discussions-/2396205