Abstract:

While enhancing our economic relations with African countries was positioned as a target within Türkiye's vision, especially after the Cold War, this could only come true in the first decade of the 21st century. As a result, there have been significant developments in the volume of trade. Although Türkiye had a trade deficit with Africa from the mid-90s to the early 2000s, due to stagnation and the impacts of various crises, it became a surplus party in the subsequent period. The trade with Africa is primarily with North African countries due to geographical proximity and historical ties. While Africa's share in Türkiye's total foreign trade volume has been gradually increasing, it remains significantly lower compared to Asia and Europe. Relations between the continent and Türkiye haven't grown stronger yet, largely because the majority of African countries were former colonies. In African countries, which were primarily former colonies of European nations, customs duties and non-tariff barriers are applied to Non-european countries. On the other hand, Türkiye's geographical proximity to Africa offers a significant opportunity to meet the agricultural and food needs of African countries. In this context, the aim of this study is to analyze Türkiye's trade with the African continent and to reveal the opportunities, threats, strengths, and weaknesses this trade offers for both actors. Furthermore, the study provides recommendations to enhance these relations in this framework.

Keywords: