Growing economic, social and diplomatic ties between Türkiye and Algeria have come to light as academics discussed Türkiye-Africa relations at a panel in Istanbul.
The Africa Coordination and Education Centre, Istanbul University Africa Studies Application and Research Centre, and Istanbul Commerce University Environment and Neighboring Countries Application and Research Centre jointly organised the panel titled “The Importance of Algeria in Türkiye's Africa Policy in Terms of History, Civilisation, Economy, and Development” at Gevherhan Madrasa, Istanbul.
The event, on Saturday, featured paper presentations by Prof. Gherbi Ghali, Director of the Middle East Studies Center at the University of Medea, Algeria, and Prof. Nadia Terchoune, a faculty member at the same university.
Prof. Ghali drew attention to Ottoman-Algerian relations, stating that the process that began with Yavuz Sultan Selim's entry into Egypt in 1517 was fully consolidated in North Africa with the Ottoman Empire's influence on Libya, Tunisia, and Algeria.
Trade volume increases
He stated that with the French occupation in the 1830s, Algerians entered the colonial period, and Algeria, which became a French colony in 1830, gained its independence in 1962 after the liberation war that began in 1954.
Ghali mentioned that interest in the Ottoman Empire began to resurface in the 1950s and that academic studies on Ottoman Algeria have been conducted for the past 25 years. He emphasised that the bonds between Turkish and Algerian societies have strengthened since then.
Touching on current economic relations, Ghali stated that Algeria is one of Türkiye's most important trading partners, noting that the trade volume between the two countries is approximately $6 billion and continues to rise every day.
The programme concluded with remarks by Prof. Dr. Ahmet Kavas, Director of the Istanbul Commerce University Centre for Applied Research on the Environment and Neighbouring Countries and retired ambassador.
The panel was moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aydın Özkan, Director of the Istanbul University Center for African Studies Application and Research.
