Djibouti hosts Türkiye-Africa Ministerial Review Conference

Djibouti will host the Third Ministerial Review Conference of the Türkiye-Africa Partnership from November 2 to 3.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will preside over the conference, cementing Türkiye's place as one of the African Union's nine strategic partners since 2008.

Türkiye-Africa Partnership summits are regularly held to determine a strategic plan and roadmap for Türkiye-Africa relations over the next five years.

The last summit took place in Istanbul in 2021 — from December 16 to 18. The next Türkiye-Africa Partnership summit will be held in an African country in 2026.

Turkish Foreign Minister's first visit to Djibouti

Ministerial Review Conferences are conducted to review the decisions made at the summit meetings.

The first two Ministerial Review Conferences were held in Istanbul in 2011 and 2018.

As part of the conference, Foreign Minister Fidan will conduct bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Djibouti and other African countries.

This visit will also mark the first time a Turkish Foreign Minister visits Djibouti.

Cornerstone

At the upcoming conference, Foreign Minister Fidan is expected to emphasise Africa's significance as a cornerstone of Türkiye's foreign policy, and reaffirm Türkiye's commitment to relations founded on "mutual respect and benefit within a structured, systematic framework."

Minister Fidan will also emphasise Türkiye's focus on Africa's humanitarian, social, and economic development, based on the priorities and needs of African countries.

Additionally, Türkiye will reassure the African nations of its commitment to supporting peace and stability in Africa.

Foreign Minister Fidan will also affirm Türkiye's ongoing strong support for amplifying Africa's voice in global politics and on multilateral platforms, particularly at the United Nations, as well as for the African Union's full membership in the G20.

Deepen relations

Fidan will further affirm Türkiye's aim to deepen relations with the African Union and regional organisations within Africa.

Türkiye will also affirm its commitment to continued collaboration with African partners in implementing projects within the 2022-2026 Joint Action Plan.

The Third Ministerial Review Conference of the Türkiye-Africa Partnership will include the participation of Foreign Ministers from 14 African countries.

The African nations are Djibouti, Mauritania, Angola, Republic of Congo, Ghana, Comoros, South Sudan, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Egypt.

Collaboration

Representatives of the African Union Commission will also attend the summit.

During the Third Türkiye-Africa Partnership Summit in 2021, the 2022-2026 Joint Action Plan was adopted, outlining numerous collaborative projects.

The areas of collaboration include Peace, Security, and Governance; Trade, Investment, and Industry; Education, ICT Skills, Youth, and Women's Development; Infrastructure Development and Agriculture; and Health System Development.

Efforts continue to implement the decisions and joint projects established at the summit.

Focus areas

The upcoming Ministerial Review Conference on November 2 to 3, 2024, will focus on reviewing the progress on the decisions made at the Third Türkiye-Africa Partnership Summit in Istanbul in 2021; assessing advancements toward the goals set in the "2022-2026 Joint Action Plan"; and exploring potential steps to further strengthen the Türkiye-Africa partnership.

At the conclusion of the conference, it is expected that two documents — "Joint Declaration" and a "2022-2024 Joint Implementation Report" — will be adopted. These documents are being jointly prepared by Türkiye and the African Union Commission.

The Joint Declaration will affirm the shared commitment to deepening Türkiye-Africa relations in multiple dimensions and address regional, continental, and international developments impacting Türkiye and African countries.

The Joint Implementation Report will summarise Türkiye's bilateral and multilateral activities in Africa toward the goals of the 2022-2026 Joint Action Plan from 2022 to 2024, as well as provide recommendations for enhancing current cooperation.

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