Turkish envoy urges businessmen to invest in Ethiopia

ANKARA

Turkey's ambassador to Addis Ababa called on his country’s businessmen to follow the privatization program initiated by Ethiopia and invest in the country.

In an exclusive interview with Anadolu Agency on the sidelines of the 10th Ambassadors’ Conference in capital Ankara, Fatih Ulusoy said that the African country, which is seen as a closed economy, started a privatization program.

"Turkish businessmen and investors should follow this situation closely," Ulusoy said. "As embassy, we are always ready to support them," he added.

Online visa

Ulusoy stated that Ethiopian government has also initiated "e-visa" program for Turkish citizens.

"With this [e-visa] application, Turkish citizens can get Ethiopian visa via Internet without going to consulates," he said.

Ulusoy added that the e-visa -- which will take three working days to process -- will also enable businessmen to attend fairs in the country.

Emphasizing the importance of trade investments between the two countries, Ulusoy said that Turkey’s investments in Ethiopia in the field of education also continued.

Ulusoy said that the Turkish Maarif Foundation (TMV) has completed all the preparations and formal applications to operate in Ethiopia.

The ambassador said that there was a great interest in Turkey and the Turkish language in Ethiopia.

"Turkish language is getting a tremendous interest in Ethiopia, and we want to continue to increase our activities related to the language in the upcoming period," he said.

Stating that Turkey’s Yunus Emre Institute (YEE) is also active in the African country, Ulusoy said that works are underway to establish a center for the institute in the capital Addis Ababa.

Since its establishment in 2009, the Yunus Emre Institute has taught Turkish to more than 99,000 people in 45 countries.

Named after the influential poet Yunus Emre, the institute now has nearly 50 cultural centers around the world, offering artistic, social and scientific programs.

While Turkish products and TV series have a large brand value in Ethiopia, an increase in health tourism to Turkey is also notable, Ulusoy said.

Speaking about Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency's (TIKA) work in Ethiopia, the envoy said the organization completed many projects in the country.

Cooperation with African Union

Ulusoy said that Turkey is one of African Union’s few strategic partners.

He said the African leaders have shown complaisance and respect towards president Recep Tayyip Erdogan for giving importance to the continent.

The ambassador said that the "Turkey-Africa Business and Economy Forum" will be held on Oct. 10-11 in Istanbul. The program will be chaired jointly by Turkey and the African Union.

Ulusoy also praised the support and cooperation of the African Union in Turkey’s fight against Fetullah terror organization (FETO).

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.

Reporting by Muhammet Ikbal Arslan and Cagri Kosak: Writing by Meryem Goktas