Turkey, Kenya set to ink new cooperation agreements in March

NAIROBI, Kenya

Turkey and Kenya are set to sign new cooperation agreements aimed to avoid double taxation and improve cooperation in the field of agriculture next month, said the Turkish envoy in Nairobi.

“Once these agreements are concluded, we hope they will help further boost our trade and economic cooperation,” Ahmet Cemil Miroglu said in an interview with Anadolu Agency.

Turkey enjoys good bilateral relations with Kenya. Ankara established ties with Nairobi in 1967 and opened an embassy in East Africa’s largest economy in 1968.

Miroglu said Turkey has extended invitations to Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Raychelle Omamo to attend the annual Antalya Diplomatic Forum scheduled for late March.

According to the ambassador, the two countries currently cooperate in a number of fields, including security.

“Turkey and Kenya are both fighting the menace of terrorism,” he said, adding he believes the two countries can do a lot together in terms of cooperation.

Kenya is currently fighting the Somali-based al Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabaab terrorist group that have been conducting terror attacks in Kenya.

Turkey and Kenya also enjoy good trade relations and their trade volume has increased many folds from $52 million in 2005 to $235 million in 2019, the Turkish ambassador said.

Some of the goods that Turkey exports to Kenya include home appliances, processed foods, construction materials, and periodically it exports petroleum products among others, while Kenya exports mainly agricultural products to Turkey -- including coffee, tea, and fresh fruits -- Miroglu said.

Turkish Airlines flies daily to the Kenyan capital Nairobi from the Turkish metropolitan city of Istanbul, improving relations between the peoples of the two countries.

The Turkish flag carrier also operates five flights a week from Istanbul to Kenya's coastal touristic city of Mombasa. It also operates cargo operations five times a week between the two countries, which has improved trade and connectivity.

The Turkish government encourages companies to invest in Kenya to create jobs and boost the local economy, the Turkish ambassador said.

A number of Turkish companies have opened businesses in Kenya.