Ankara: Trkiye’s exports to African countries rose 1.7% year-on-year to $19.4 billion in 2024, according to Turkish Exporters’ Assembly (TIM) data compiled by Anadolu.

According to Anadolu Agency, Trkiye has been focusing on strengthening its commercial and economic ties with African nations since 2003. This strategic move aimed to boost trade, investments, technology transfer, exchange of know-how, and provide technical assistance, resulting in a multitude of projects and collaborations across the continent.

In 2024, Trkiye exported goods to 56 African countries, which represented 7.4% of the nation’s total exports. Egypt emerged as the top destination for Turkish exports, receiving goods worth $3.5 billion. Morocco followed with $3.1 billion, and Libya with $2.5 billion.

The chemicals and chemical products sector led the export categories with a total value of $3.1 billion. This was followed by the grains, pulses, oilseeds, and related products sector with $2.5 billion, steel with $2 billion, auto industry products with $1.4 billion, and the electricity and electronics sectors contributing $1.3 billion.

Other significant export sectors included machinery and components, as well as textile products and raw materials, each reaching $1.3 billion. The exports of ferrous and non-ferrous metals amounted to $912.7 million.

The normalization of relations between Trkiye and Egypt played a significant role in this export growth. High-level meetings between the countries’ presidents led to a substantial 21.8% increase in exports to Egypt. Additionally, exports to Ghana saw a sharp rise of 49.6%, while Nigeria experienced a 9.1% increase, Libya 8.4%, and Morocco 6.9%.