Turkish State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek said Thursday that Nigeria was a crucial country for Turkey.
Speaking at the "Turkey-Nigeria Trade and Investment Forum", organized by Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON) in Istanbul, Minister Cicek said that Nigeria was the heart of and the key to Africa.
We are behind our businesspeople and we are their guarantor. I hope that you will feel at home while doing business in Nigeria, Cicek noted.
Today’s meeting organized by TUSKON is highly important. The meeting is meaningful at a time when Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan is visiting Turkey, Cicek said.
Those who will write on the history of Turkish-Nigerian relations will have to allocate a special page to President Jonathan’s current visit to Turkey. President Jonathan’s visit to Turkey has an enormous historic importance. I hope that Mr. Jonathan will leave Turkey with good impressions, Cicek said.
Africa happens to be the region to which Turkey gives priority in foreign policy, and commercial as well as economic relations. We have initiated a special program within this context. It is impossible to think of an Africa without Nigeria. Nigeria is the heart of and key to Africa. This is my frank impression. As such, Nigeria and the Nigerians have a special place in our hearts. Nigeria is a brotherly and friendly country. There are no problems between our two countries that would impede the development of relations. We have parallel views on many regional and global issues. We carry responsibility together in the D-8. Nigeria is one of the most strong countries of the D-8. I know that Mr. Jonathan would like to give the D-8 a new vision. The businesspeople present in this chamber today will be a crucial part of your project, Cicek said.
Reminding that important agreements were signed between Turkey and Nigeria in Ankara on Wednesday, Cicek said that there were many things Turkey and Nigeria could do together and there were aims that the two countries could reach jointly.
The businesspeople here today carry the Turkish flag and Turkey’s good reputation to all corners of the world. They represent Turkey in countries where they do business. Our businesspeople will make efforts for the development, happiness and welfare of Nigeria, Cicek said.
We have prepared a road map for Turkish-Nigerian relations. The task from now on belongs to the businesspeople of our respective countries to work together in a win-win scenario that would strengthen friendship and brotherhood. We are behind our businesspeople and we are their guarantor. I hope that you will feel at home in Nigeria, Cicek also said.
Turkey and Nigeria have a trade volume of 900 million USD. However, TUSKON wishes to raise this volume to 2 billion USD in the near future.