Prime Minister Sonko of Senegal scheduled to engage in strategic partnership discussions in Türkiye
During a five-day visit from August 6 to 11, 2025, Senegal's Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko, travelled to Turkey at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The visit marked a significant diplomatic engagement, underscoring the growing importance of Turkish-African relations.
The purpose of the visit was to strengthen bilateral relations between the two nations and discuss potential steps to deepen the strategic partnership-level cooperation between Turkey and Senegal. Comprehensive bilateral discussions were planned for August 7, with key meetings scheduled to take place on Thursday, Aug. 7.
During the official meetings between President Erdoğan and PM Sonko in Ankara, multiple strategic partnership agreements were signed across several sectors. These sectors included defense, media, education, agriculture, energy, finance, and infrastructure. The agreements aim to deepen bilateral cooperation and support Senegal’s economic recovery and development goals under its “Senegal 2050” vision.
Four main agreements were signed in the sectors of defense, media, and education. In the agricultural sector, a strategic agreement was established with Turkey’s Albayrak Group to set up a tractor assembly plant in Senegal. This will be facilitated by Senegal's Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Rural Development. Albayrak Group, a major Turkish conglomerate with extensive experience across Africa, specializes in agriculture, construction, transportation, and waste management.
The collaborations also encompassed energy, finance, and large infrastructure projects to be developed through public–private partnerships and build-operate-transfer (BOT) models. Prime Minister Sonko emphasized the intention to mobilize internal resources and reduce Senegal’s dependence on external loans by leveraging these partnerships.
The visit also involved a Senegal–Türkiye Business Forum in Istanbul, helping to connect Senegalese ministers and business leaders with Turkish companies to promote investment in sectors such as power generation, manufacturing, e-commerce, AI, health care, pharmaceuticals, and biomedical equipment.
Turkey aims to increase bilateral trade with Senegal to $1 billion, with Senegal inviting Turkish businesses to invest in its Diass Special Economic Zone near Dakar and participate further in industrial development efforts.
These agreements demonstrate a comprehensive approach by both nations to build a robust, multi-dimensional strategic partnership, rooted in economic cooperation, technological exchange, and mutual development aspirations. The discussions during the meetings also included exchanges of views on regional and international issues.
The signing of at least 5 bilateral agreements is expected to result from this visit, marking a significant step forward in the strengthening of relations between Turkey and Senegal.
- The visit of Senegal's Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko, to Turkey, from August 6 to 11, 2025, took place at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and was a significant diplomatic engagement that underscores the growing importance of Turkish-African relations.
- During the official meetings between President Erdoğan and PM Sonko in Ankara, multiple strategic partnership agreements were signed across various sectors, including defense, media, education, agriculture, energy, finance, and infrastructure.
- In the agricultural sector, a strategic agreement was established with Turkey’s Albayrak Group to set up a tractor assembly plant in Senegal, facilitated by Senegal's Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Rural Development.
- The visit also involved a Senegal–Türkiye Business Forum in Istanbul, aimed at connecting Senegalese ministers and business leaders with Turkish companies to promote investment in sectors such as power generation, manufacturing, e-commerce, AI, health care, pharmaceuticals, and biomedical equipment. Turkey aims to increase bilateral trade with Senegal to $1 billion, and Senegal invites Turkish businesses to invest in its Diass Special Economic Zone near Dakar.
