The 14th WCI Africa Forum, held in Istanbul on February 11-12, successfully brought together approximately 1,500 businesspeople, investors, public representatives, and sector leaders from across the African continent. This year’s organization significantly contributed to deepening commercial relations between Turkey and Africa, achieving remarkable success in terms of participation and business connections.
High-Level Participation and Diplomatic Engagement
Asortie Mobilya served as the main sponsor for the second time at the 14th WCI Africa Trade Forum, which saw the participation of official delegations from numerous countries, including the Gambian Minister of Technology and the Gambian Minister of Sports. From Turkey, Deputy Ministers of Trade Özgür Volkan Ağar and Mahmut Gürcan, and Deputy Minister of National Defense Salih Ayhan also attended the event. The deputy ministers and ambassadors visited Asortie Mobilya’s stand, examining its products and learning about the company’s vision for African exports.
This year, Turkish Trade Attachés who have served in various African countries participated in the forum, sharing crucial insights into regional trade. Additionally, ambassadors, consuls, and trade attachés from different African countries engaged in active discussions throughout the forum. This intensive diplomatic participation underscores that the Turkey-Africa economic cooperation is progressing within a strategic and long-term vision, beyond mere commercial interests.
Hundreds of New Business Connections Forged
Over the two-day forum, hundreds of new business connections were established through B2B meetings, sectoral panels, and special networking sessions. The forum hosted participants from a wide range of sectors, including furniture, construction, textiles, health, cosmetics, and tourism. Business representatives from over 50 African countries had the opportunity to directly engage with Turkish firms. The bilateral business meetings held during the forum facilitated concrete steps, particularly in manufacturing, distributorship, and project-based collaborations.
Asortie Mobilya, a leading brand in the luxury and classical furniture sector, highlighted its second-time main sponsorship. The company, which has been actively operating in the African market for many years, showcased a strong corporate presence at the forum. The brand’s robust references in Africa provided a significant element of trust during the meetings. High-end projects such as presidential residences, luxury villa projects, executive offices, and prestigious decoration works further solidified the brand’s position in the region.
Asortie Mobilya was also recognized and awarded by the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM) as one of the companies that conducted the most fair visits to Africa. This award officially registered the brand’s sustainable growth and export performance in the African market. This achievement further enhanced trust in the brand among forum participants. As the African market plays a critical role in Turkey’s export-oriented growth strategy, such awards are considered important indicators that strengthen the competitive position of Turkish brands globally.
A Platform for Diplomatic and Economic Engagement
The WCI Africa Forum served not only as a trade fair but also as an international platform for intensive diplomatic and economic contacts. Panels held throughout the forum addressed topics such as the future of Turkey-Africa trade, strengthening logistics networks, investment security, and financing models. Participants engaged in intense discussions over the two days. Notably, striking collaborations emerged among companies operating in construction, interior design, project contracting, and luxury housing sectors. Many investors from Africa expressed their satisfaction with Turkey’s production quality, design capabilities, and fast delivery capacity. Istanbul’s identity as an international trade hub played a significant role in the success of the organization. In this context, the discussions at the forum were not limited to short-term commercial agreements but also laid the groundwork for long-term project partnerships. This multifaceted trade network developing between Turkey and Africa is built on mutual trust and a sustainable business model.
During the opening ceremony of the fair, Deputy Minister of Trade Mahmut Gürcan emphasized the increasing trade with Africa based on win-win principles. Deputy Minister of National Defense Salih Ayhan highlighted the growing share of the defense industry in trade with Africa. The trade forum, where many diplomats and commercial attachés shared their views, hosted highly productive meetings over two days. The organization underscored the necessity for Turkey to increase trade with African countries within the framework of its international vision and sustainable growth targets, leading to high-volume business connections.
Future Outlook: Increased Trade Volume
Speaking at the closing gala of the WCI Forum, which opened new doors in Turkey’s economic relations with Africa, Deputy Minister of Trade Özgür Volkan Ağar shared important data on the trade volume between Africa and Turkey. He underlined that the targeted trade volume had been achieved and that this target would continue with even higher turnovers in the coming years.
Source: https://bigpara.hurriyet.com.tr/haberler/genel-haberler/wci-afrika-forumu-54-ulkeden-bin-500-is-insanini-istanbulda-bir-araya-getirdi_ID1625010/
