Thursday, 19 February 2009ANKARA - Turkish President Abdullah Gul will pay state visits to the African countries Kenya from February 20 and 22 and Tanzania from February 22 to 23.
President Gul will be the first Turkish president officially visiting those two countries.
State Minister Said Yazicioglu, Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim, chairmen of the inter-parliamentary friendship groups and a crowded delegation of businessmen will accompany President Gul during his visits.
President Gul will leave for Kenya on Friday. He is set to meet with Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga during his two day stay in the capital city of Nairobi.
On February 22, President Gul and his entourage will proceed to Tanzania to meet with President Jakaya Kikwete. Gul is also set to meet with President Amani Abeid Karume of the autonomous Republic of Zanzibar.
Turkish president will also attend business forums to be hosted by the Confederation of Turkish Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON) both in Kenya and Tanzania.
Gul's visits are expected to add momentum to the bilateral relations with Kenya and Tanzania and create new cooperation opportunities in political, economic and cultural relations.
Besides the bilateral relations, recent regional and international developments will be high on agenda of President Gul's scheduled talks.
Turkey's trade volume with African countries increased to 16 billion USD from 5.4 billion USD between 2003 and 2008. It is targeted to increase the trade volume up to 30 billion USD by the end of 2010.
Turkey has concentrated on developing its relations with Africa.
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Thursday, 19 February 2009
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