Ankara, Bogota trade doubles in 2021: FM

ANKARA

Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and his Colombian counterpart, Marta Lucia Ramirez, held a joint press conference in Ankara, discussing the potential for commercial exchange between the countries.

Çavuşoğlu recalled that the volume of trade between the two countries had doubled last year to reach $2 billion.

He noted that the Turkish government will promote the investments of Turkish companies in Colombia, mainly in high technology sectors, manufacturing industries and production of processed foods and industrial crops.

For her part, Ramirez affirmed that there is a significant potential for the commercial exchange between Colombia and Turkey to increase to $5 billion.

The ministers also agreed on the need to deepen existing bilateral cooperation, explore new areas of work to consolidate their strategic alliance and cooperate on migration, calling on the international community to do more to help the refugees.

Turkey and Colombia are the two countries in the world that host the most refugees, five and two-and-a-half million respectively, according to Ramirez.

She also highlighted the importance of integrating migrant women into the workforce, so that they have more economic security.

During the meeting with Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay, the Colombian minister also expressed gratitude for the immense generosity of Turkey and support to Colombia with PCR tests and medical equipment during the pandemic process.