The 5th Türkiye-Africa Business and Economic Forum (TABEF) concluded on Friday in Istanbul, reinforcing one of the most dynamic South-South partnerships in the global economy.
Held under the theme “Leveraging Türkiye-Africa Relations for Mutual Gains,” the forum brought together more than 4,000 participants, including heads of state, ministers, ambassadors and private sector leaders from across the African continent and Türkiye.
Delivering one of the event’s most anticipated keynote speeches, Francisca Tatchouop Belobe, African Union Commissioner for Economic Development, Tourism, Trade, Industry, and Mining, described the Türkiye-Africa partnership as “not only real, but irreversible.”
Her remarks underscored a growing consensus among leaders that this alliance is no longer emerging, it is now firmly established and reshaping how the Global South does business.
‘Trusted partner’
“Türkiye is not a visitor on a journey,” said Commissioner Belobe. “It is a trusted partner, building, investing, listening, and acting in lockstep with Africa’s ambitions.”
The Commissioner’s captured in her address a remarkable economic trajectory.
"In just over two decades, trade between Africa and Türkiye has grown from $4.5 billion in 2003 to over $40.7 billion in 2024." She said.
This exponential rise places Türkiye among the top five non-African trading partners on the continent. With the shared goal of reaching $50 billion by 2026, Belobe noted that momentum is not only strong but accelerating.
“We are witnessing a relationship that is being defined by political will and private sector ambition,” she said. “TABEF is proof that this is more than diplomacy — it is delivery.”
Beyond trade volumes
Türkiye’s growing investment footprint in Africa signals a deeper strategic engagement. Turkish Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has now surpassed $8.5 billion, supporting projects across renewable energy, digital logistics, manufacturing, infrastructure, and more.
More than 1,500 Turkish companies now operate in Africa, often in direct partnership with local SMEs and institutions.
“Türkiye is investing not for extraction, but for transformation,” Belobe emphasized. “It supports our SMEs, shares technology, builds capacity, and anchors value chains, this is long-term vision in action.”
Many of these partnerships were on display in the forum’s exhibition area, where Belobe met entrepreneurs and innovators from across the continent.
She highlighted one African startup using artificial intelligence to revolutionize logistics, and a Turkish firm co-creating sustainable energy solutions in rural Africa.
“These aren’t anecdotes. They’re evidence,” she said. “This is what 21st-century partnership looks like — co-creation, innovation, and mutual gain.”
Africa, she stressed, is not merely open for business, it is shaping the future of business itself. In 2024, the continent attracted $97 billion in FDI, representing a 7.5% increase from the previous year.
Intra-African trade rose to $280 billion, and 15 countries recorded GDP growth above 5%, despite global headwinds.
Africa’s demographic advantage
Crucially, Africa’s demographic advantage remains one of its most compelling assets. With a median age of just 19.5 years and a population set to reach 2.5 billion by 2050, the continent holds the world’s largest reservoir of future talent, creativity, and demand.
“By 2030, 43% of the world’s youth will be African,” Belobe noted. “We are the youngest continent — and that youth is energy, is ambition, is the future.” She posed.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) - a flagship initiative under the AU’s Agenda 2063, was also featured as a cornerstone of the continent’s economic transformation.
With a projected value of $6.7 trillion by 2035, AfCFTA is poised to become the largest single trade market in the world.Belobe praised Türkiye’s support for the continental trade agenda, noting that Ankara’s commitment goes beyond bilateral deals to supporting regional integration.
“Türkiye understands that Africa’s strength lies in its unity; in building regional value chains, cross-border infrastructure, and harmonized trade rules,” she said.
TABEF, hosted at the Istanbul Congress Center, was more than a ceremonial event. It was a working forum where deals were discussed, partnerships announced, and sectors mapped out for future investment. Panels covered topics from green energy to digital infrastructure, with Türkiye consistently spotlighted as a dependable and responsive investor.
“We have seen more than speeches — we’ve seen solutions,” Belobe told the closing session. “This Forum may end today, but our journey continues. The Türkiye-Africa partnership is not only alive, it is vibrant, it is growing, and it is here to stay.”
Türkiye-Africa partnership was praised as a model of economic diplomacy rooted in shared interest, mutual respect, and transformative potential.
