Sudanese look for Turkish support

ISTANBUL - Anatolia News Agency

Ali Al Amin. AA photo

The head of the Sudanese Businessmen’s Federation said they were eager to make use of Turkey’s know-how and experiences in economy and industry yesterday.

Sudan needed Turkey’s experiences and know-how, Ali Al Amin said.

“We want to use Turkey’s economic and industrial know-how and experiences in Sudan,” Al Amin told the Anatolia news agency in an interview in the western Aegean province of Çanakkale.

Turkey would be Sudan’s open door to Europe, Al Amin said, adding that his country would be pleased to host Turkish investors in order to boost bilateral relations and increase investments.

He said he was active in the leather trade and would like to lead Turkish businessmen to invest in the leather industry in Sudan.

The Sudanese explored Turkey after Europe and China, he said, Turkey provides products on par with European quality but cheaper in cost and of a higher quality than China.

Efforts by TUSKON

There was not much of a trade relation 10 years ago, but in the last five years, the trade volume increased 20 fold thanks to efforts by the Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists of Turkey (TUSKON) and bilateral protocol signed between the two business bodies, he said. “The Turkish Airlines flies to Sudan nine times a week. This shows commercial and economic relations between the two countries,” he said.

“The number of Turkish investors rose in the last 15 years. The Turkish population [residing in Sudan] has hit 5,000. There are many investors including barbershops, brick manufacturing and cement plants. Sudan, rich in natural resources, is a neighbor to nine investable countries,” he said.