ISTANBUL

Turkey on Saturday voiced its support for the flourishing of Africa and stronger ties with the continent to mark Africa Day, the anniversary of the foundation of the African Union.

“We fully support the efforts in the direction of peace, stability, and development of the African continent, whose influence on the world stage is progressively increasing,” said a Turkish Foreign Ministry statement.

“We will continue to develop our cooperation and to extend our solidarity in all areas with the African countries and the African Union, in line with our Africa Partnership Policy and within the period leading to the 3rd Turkey-Africa Summit, which is planned to be held in Turkey in 2020,” it said.

Africa Day is the annual commemoration of May 25, 1963, the day the African Union was founded.

Various events are also held every year in Turkey as part of Africa Day, the ministry said.

“This year, an Iftar dinner was organized as part of Africa Day on Thursday, May 23rd, at the Presidential Complex, hosted by H.E. Emine Erdogan, First Lady of the Republic of Turkey, with the participation as the guest of honor of H.E. Zeynep Abdi Muallim, First Lady of the Federal Republic of Somalia,” it said.

The new book "African Food Culture," prepared with the contributions of the spouses of the ambassadors of African countries in Ankara, debuted at the event, the ministry said.