Türkiye and Senegal will continue to enhance bilateral cooperation in several areas based on a win-win basis, said President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday, underlining the close ties between the two countries.

"We have a common will to develop our cooperation with Senegal in every field," Erdoğan said at a news conference with his Senegalese counterpart Macky Sall in the capital Ankara.

During their meeting at the Presidential Complex, Erdoğan said they discussed economic, defense and trade issues, as well as efforts against terrorism, including the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ). "We will always strive to develop our economic relations with Africa in a fair and balanced manner, and we will conduct our commercial relations on a win-win basis," he said.

Bilateral trade between Türkiye and Senegal reached $540 million in 2021, and the target now is $1 billion, he added. "Our companies contribute to the Senegalese economy not only in construction and contract arenas but in manufacturing as well. They are active in energy, steel production, health care, the food industry, ready-mixed concrete production and gold-processing sectors. The total value of projects and investments in this context have reached $1.5 billion," the president highlighted

Erdoğan also mentioned his visit to Dakar in February this year as the second stop of his three-nation four-day Africa diplomacy tour, during which he inaugurated Türkiye’s Dakar Embassy building.

President Erdoğan, who was on his fifth visit to the country, said he also exchanged views with Sall on the Ukraine war. "Beside our bilateral relations, we had the opportunity to discuss the Ukraine crisis and the grain corridor issue with my counterpart, who assumed the African Union term presidency last February," Erdoğan informed.

For his part, Sall appreciated Türkiye's "concrete contributions" to prevent a global food crisis by mediating between Moscow and Kyiv. "Personally, I would like to underline that we appreciate you for your concrete contribution to the signing of the grain agreement in the Black Sea and that you have prevented the global food crisis," said Sall.

He said bilateral cooperation between the countries continues in every field, including water management, military training, industry, the defense industry and culture. Sall also noted that these relations bring trade and investment.

Developing relations and cooperation with African countries is one of the cornerstones of Ankara’s multidimensional foreign policy.

Türkiye’s engagement with the African continent has been gaining pace over the years. Since assuming office nearly two decades ago, first serving as prime minister, Erdoğan has been fostering ties with Africa, presenting Türkiye as a fairer player than the continent’s former colonial powers. Ankara has been stressing the desire to advance relations with the continent on the basis of a win-win relationship and equal partnership while observing mutual respect. Both sides have been vowing to tap into their greater potential when it comes to further expanding and deepening relations.

The number of Turkish Embassies in Africa has increased from just 12 in 2002 to 44 in 2022.