Turkey, Chad vow to 'stand together' against terrorism

By Bahattin Gonultas

N'DJAMENA, Chad

Turkey and the Central African nation of Chad will stand together to fight terrorism, visiting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday.

Erdogan's remarks came at a joint news conference in the capital N’Djamena following a closed-door meeting with Idriss Deby, his Chadian counterpart.

Erdogan said that a Turkish state-run education foundation has taken over schools in Chad that once belonged to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind last year's defeated coup in Turkey.

The Maarif Foundation has recently assumed control of numerous schools previously run by FETO around the world, including in 32 countries in Africa, according to Turkey's National Education Ministry.

"We will always stand together with Chad on its fight with terrorism," Erdogan said.

He also thanked Deby for declaring FETO a terrorist organization.

"All FETO-linked schools in Chad were transferred to the Maarif Foundation. Hopefully the Maarif Foundation will provide its best service in the education sector here together with Chad’s Education Ministry," Erdogan added.

Erdogan said Chad is a very important country for Turkey.

“Around 50 projects in Chad have been finished by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA),” Turkey’s state development aid agency, he said.

Erdogan said Turkey’s state development aid arm, the Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA), will start building a 230,000-square-meter Turkish Culture Complex in a central location in N'Djamena, the capital.

Turkey’s vital role in the Muslim world

Deby, for his part, said Chad's children will no longer be educated by terrorists, referring to the previously FETO terror group-run schools.

"Our schools are not in the hands of terrorists anymore, but in trustworthy hands, and our children will continue to receive education in good conditions," Deby said.

He said they agreed with Erdogan to cooperate in fighting terrorism. Deby added that Erdogan had recovered from last year's defeated coup attempt.

"We will continue our work to prevent the abuse of Islam," Deby stressed.

Deby said Erdogan’s visit, the first-ever by a Turkish president in Chad, is important and that the pacts signed during his visit will boost friendly relations between the two countries.

Turkey is a large country with a long history and is well known around the world, Deby said.

“Turkey has been playing a very vital role in the Muslim world and around the world. Turkey is a bridge between the Arab world and the West,” he said.

Erdogan’s visit makes us look back at history to the old times between the two countries, Derby said.

The Chadian president said there are many opportunities between the two countries such as in agriculture, livestock, and technology.

Deby said he also spoke with Erdogan on issues related to Jerusalem, terrorism, and stability in countries such as Libya.

Erdogan’s visit to Chad is the second stop of a three-nation African tour, starting with Sudan and ending in Tunisia.

Chad’s opportunities for Turkish investors

Chad presents opportunities for Turkish investors in such areas as construction, agriculture, food processing and storage, animal products processing, textiles, machinery and energy, according to Turkey’s Economy Ministry.

Chad also has rich gold, uranium, and oil reserves.

Turkey's imports from Chad in the first 10 months of 2017 totaled $26.9 million, while exports stood at $14.9 million, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute.

* Fatih Hafiz Mehmet contributed to this story from Ankara.