The Türkiye-Africa partnership remains a strategic priority for the African Union, with efforts focused on turning existing cooperation frameworks into concrete programs that deliver measurable benefits, a senior AU official said Wednesday.
Gaspard Banyankimbona, the African Union commissioner for education, science, technology and innovation, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that cooperation with Türkiye, established under a framework launched in 2008 and strengthened by the 2021 Istanbul Declaration, continues to deepen.
“We are committed to translating this cooperation into measurable benefits for our people,” Banyankimbona said in an interview marking African Union Day on Sept. 9.
He said the AU was exploring deeper cooperation with Turkish institutions, particularly universities and organizations specializing in research and innovation, with an emphasis on partnership, mutual benefit and joint production.
The cooperation is expected to align education and skills initiatives with the AU’s Agenda 2063 development goals.
Banyankimbona also stressed the need for Africa to shift from being primarily a consumer of technology and knowledge to becoming a producer and developer.
With more than 60% of Africa’s population under 25, he said investment in education, digital infrastructure and innovation would be crucial to turning the continent’s demographic potential into economic gains.
He also called for efforts to transform Africa’s “brain drain” into “brain circulation” by strengthening research institutions, encouraging cooperation with the diaspora and creating incentives for skilled professionals to work across the continent.
Over the past 25 years, relations between Türkiye and African countries have expanded significantly across political, trade, security, defense, cultural and development sectors.
Türkiye increased the number of its embassies across Africa from 12 in 2002 to 44 by 2024, while the number of African embassies in Türkiye rose from 10 in 2008 to 38 in 2024. Mozambique and Botswana most recently decided to open embassies in Türkiye.
Economic ties have also strengthened. Türkiye signed trade and economic cooperation agreements with 50 African countries, investment agreements with 32 countries and defense industry cooperation agreements with 29 countries.
Trade volume between Türkiye and Africa rose from $4.3 billion in 2002 to approximately $40 billion by the end of 2025, according to the Foreign Ministry.
