The number of interparliamentary friendship groups has reached 146 in the Turkish Parliament after the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) recently established a new friendship group with Egypt and Libya.
The TBMM develops its relations with countries from every continent, from Africa to America, through interparliamentary friendship groups.
In the 27th term, the number of friendship groups reached 146. The continent where the most friendship groups were established was Africa with 50 countries, while the least groups were formed in Oceania with only two countries.
Interparliamentary friendship groups continue to work with 39 countries from the Asian continent, 36 from Europe and 19 from America.
While interparliamentary friendship groups have been operating between some countries and Turkey for many years, Burundi, Guinea Bissau, Kabo Verde, Malawi, Seychelles and Sao Tome and Principe have been added to friendship groups as new countries.
In addition to these countries, the TBMM has friendship groups with the parliaments of "distant countries" such as the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, South Africa, Brazil, Argentina and Peru.
Other friendship groups were formed with the parliaments of Iraq, Iran, Georgia and Bulgaria, which are neighbors of Turkey. However, it does not have friendship groups with the parliaments of other neighboring countries such as Greece, Syria and Armenia. Israel and the Netherlands are other countries where a friendship group has not been established.
The most recent additions of friendship groups have been with the parliaments of Egypt and Libya. The establishment of an interparliamentary friendship group between the Egyptian House of Representatives and the Libyan House of Representatives and the TBMM has been recently approved.
The ruling Justice and Development Party's (AK Party) deputy from the central Sivas province Ismet Yılmaz was elected the chairperson of Egypt Friendship Group, and AK Party’s deputy from the western Denizli Deputy Ahmet Yıldız was elected as the president of Libya Friendship Group.
Friendship groups established by the provisions of the Law on the Regulation of Foreign Relations to establish communication between Turkey and foreign parliaments, organize mutual official visits, introduce Turkey and contribute to the development of friendship.
Friendship groups, which are open to all members of parliament, are established upon the decision of the General Assembly.
Foreign contact committees of the friendship groups are formed as a representation. These contacts are organized and carried out with the consent of the speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly and on the basis of reciprocity.