ISTANBUL / ANKARA

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday that Gaza urgently needs to heal and rebuild, stressing Türkiye’s efforts to ensure that the current Hamas-Israel agreement contributes to lasting peace.

Speaking at the 5th Türkiye-Africa Business and Economic Forum in Istanbul, Erdogan said: “Due to Israel’s poor record, we remain wary as Gaza urgently needs to heal and rebuild.”

Erdogan added that Türkiye is making intensive efforts to ensure that the Hamas-Israel agreement lasts and paves the way to lasting peace.

On the ongoing Sudan crisis, he said Türkiye is deeply saddened by the clashes in Sudan, expressing hope for a ceasefire and lasting peace there.

Erdogan also underlined that the international community has not paid enough attention to the tragedy in Sudan, stressing that “ending the bloodshed is everyone’s humanitarian duty.”

“The Western world, unfortunately, sees civil wars, conflicts, and disputes in Africa as the continent’s destiny,” he said.

He stressed Türkiye’s role as a leading global donor of humanitarian aid and reiterated the country’s commitment to helping those in need wherever they are.

Ties with Africa

Erdogan noted that 2005 was declared the “Year of Africa” in Türkiye, opening a new chapter in relations.

“Over these 20 years, hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, and above all, heart to heart, we have brought our relations to unimaginable levels. We are extremely pleased that Türkiye-Africa relations have reached the level of strategic partnership through our joint efforts,” he said.

Erdogan said Türkiye has expanded its African diplomatic presence to 44 embassies, with a short-term target of 50, and hosts 38 African embassies in Ankara.

"Especially in the fields of trade and investment, the extraordinary success we have achieved contributes to the prosperity of both our country and the African nations," he said.

He noted Turkish contractors have undertaken more than 2,000 projects valued at $97 billion across Africa, while investment projects exceed $15 billion, employing over 100,000 Africans.

"We have business councils with 49 African countries and commercial attaches in 31 countries. Our trade with the continent, which was $ 5.4 billion in 2003, has reached around $40 billion by the end of 2024."

Erdogan also highlighted Türkiye’s domestic and economic progress, noting the increase in central bank reserves from $27 billion to $189.7 billion, and export growth from $36 billion to nearly $270 billion.