Senegal, one of the developing countries in West Africa, trusts and waits for Turkish investors in big projects such as the construction of airports, sports complexes, hotels and exhibition halls and Abdou Paye Dieng, Director of Senegal Economy and Finance Cooperation, spoke to Anadolu Agency (AA) on increasing cooperation, joint projects, investments, import and export figures between Turkey and Senegal in recent years.

He said Turkey is a model country for Africa with the growth rates it has reached, adding that many big projects have been actualized between the two countries.

Dieng also stated that close relations established by Senegalese President Macky Sall and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan are reflected in the economic cooperation between the two countries.

Pointing out that the Turkish companies have made a fast and reliable image in Senegal with their work, Dieng said, "As Turkish company Summa completed the conference center where the Francophone Summit was held in Dakar in 2014 much faster than expected, the new airport tender in Dakar has been given to the Suma-Limak consortium." Dieng stressed that they saw that the projects they entrust to the Turks in Senegal are completed in the quickest and the best way. According to Economy Ministry data, the bilateral trade between Turkey and Senegal reached $160 million in 2016, while Turkey's imports from Senegal rose to $6.1 million in the same year. The Abdou Diouf de Diamniado International Conference Center, built by Turkish Summa, is the largest Turkish investment officially completed in Senegal so far. Turkey provided 48.5 million euros in financing to the project through Exim Bank. The construction and operation of Dakar's new airport, Blaise Diagne International Airport, is being carried out by the Turkish Summa-Limak consortium which has undertaken not only took the construction, but also the 25-year operation rights of the airport.

The sum of the projects and investments that Turkey continues to actualize in Senegal exceeds $550 million.

As part of the urban transformation plan in Dakar, Turkish companies will complete construction projects such as sports complexes, luxury hotels, exhibition halls, highways and roads.