Istanbul: There are significant opportunities and potential for cooperation between Trkiye and Gabon, particularly in defense and aerospace, the Turkish trade minister said Friday. Trkiye is ready to contribute to Gabon's 2025 Development Program and sectoral planning, Omer Bolat announced at the Trkiye-Gabon Business Forum, organized by Trkiye's Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) in Istanbul.
According to Anadolu Agency, Bolat highlighted the productive meeting between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Gabonese President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema in Ankara, during which eight agreements were signed. He emphasized that the trade relationship between Trkiye and Gabon deserves to be elevated to better levels. "In this sense, after these eight agreements, we, as the Ministry of Trade, are ready to strengthen our economic relations in areas such as trade, investment, contracting, energy, fishing, and agriculture, with the participation of our valued business people, along with our Gabonese counterparts, and we will accelerate our work from now on," he stated.
Trkiye is one of the world's top 11 defense industry manufacturers and exporters, with exports exceeding $7 billion last year and projected to reach $8.5 billion this year, Bolat noted. He mentioned Gabon's announcement of a five-year military investment program and expressed Trkiye's readiness to contribute to the program's tools and infrastructure needs.
Bolat also pointed out the successful completion of 22 projects by Turkish contracting companies in Gabon, amounting to $2.7 billion in construction work. He assured that Turkish companies will fully support Gabon in producing social housing as part of the national program to address the housing shortage announced by the President of Gabon.
Nail Olpak, the chair of DEIK, echoed the sentiment of cooperation, noting that Gabon is developing its port and rail infrastructure, and Trkiye has companies with international experience in these areas. He emphasized the potential for project partnerships with Gabonese companies. Olpak acknowledged that trade between Trkiye and Gabon is currently insufficient but expressed optimism that it will reach a valuable point with determined efforts. He highlighted the possibility of cooperation in sectors like port management, railways, energy, highways, and agriculture.
Olpak also encouraged Gabonese businessmen to consider investment opportunities in Trkiye, particularly in energy, industry, agriculture, and infrastructure sectors.