During an official visit to Ankara, Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko signed several agreements with Turkish authorities on August 7, reinforcing military, economic, and diplomatic cooperation between the two countries. Ankara and Dakar aim to triple bilateral trade and align on key global issues.
PM Sonko will be in Türkiye from August 6 to 11 for an official visit. On Thursday, August 7, alongside President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, he attended a ceremony to sign a series of agreements between the two nations, underscoring a deepening of their strategic partnership.
Strengthened military cooperation
Among the signed documents was an additional protocol to the military and financial cooperation agreement, inked by Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler and Senegalese Armed Forces Minister General Birame Diop. The protocol aims to boost military ties between Ankara and Dakar amid rising regional security challenges.
President Erdoğan hailed the bilateral relationship, now elevated to the level of a High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, and said talks with Sonko covered key sectors including investment, trade, security, defense, counter-terrorism, energy, mining, transportation, agriculture, and fisheries.
The Turkish leader expressed a joint ambition to raise bilateral trade to $1 billion, noting that nearly 100 Turkish companies operate in Senegal, with total investments and projects valued at around $3 billion. He also reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to supporting Senegal’s Vision 2050 national transformation program.
Erdoğan praised Senegal’s stance on international affairs, especially regarding Palestine, thanking Dakar for its support of Turkish initiatives at the United Nations. He recalled Senegal’s long-standing role since 1975 as chair of the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, and denounced the ongoing situation in Gaza as “genocide,” vowing to continue advocating until those responsible are held accountable.
The president also thanked Senegalese authorities for their support in combating the FETÖ organisation, describing Africa as the continent of the future, and stating that no globally ambitious country can afford to “turn its back on the region.”
Türkiye as a model – Sonko
Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, delivering remarks at the ceremony, conveyed greetings from President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and emphasised the strategic importance of this visit. He lauded Türkiye as a model of economic success and reiterated his government’s commitment to addressing inherited challenges, particularly in budget management.
“You have always stood by us – a true big brother. Türkiye is now a global model of success,” Sonko said, welcoming Türkiye’s ambition to triple trade with Senegal. He pledged that Dakar would mobilise all necessary efforts to achieve that goal within a framework of mutually beneficial partnership.
He stressed the need for balanced, respectful cooperation, adding that Senegal intends to develop without relying on foreign aid, and seeks to establish a new model of win-win agreements.
On regional security, Sonko pointed to rising threats facing Senegal and called for greater military sovereignty and domestic security capacity amid instability in neighboring countries. He praised the strength of Türkiye’s defense industry and expressed confidence in the partnership’s ability to equip Senegalese forces effectively.
Shared stance on Gaza
On the Gaza crisis, Sonko denounced the situation as a “planned genocide” and criticised the inaction of major powers in the face of Palestinian suffering, especially among children. He reaffirmed Senegal’s commitment within UN bodies and saluted Erdoğan’s firm stance. “You are one of the few leaders standing up against this genocide,” he declared.
The Prime Minister also announced his participation in the upcoming Türkiye–Senegal Economic Forum in Istanbul, and called for expanded economic ties, particularly in transportation, energy, and local resource mobilization.
“In this transitional phase, we need your support more than ever,” Sonko concluded, reaffirming confidence in the Turkish development model and advocating for deeper bilateral ties rooted in sovereignty, dignity, and mutual respect.
AC/lb/as/APA