The Turkish president saw on Sunday Africa as Turkey's strategic partner.

Turkey's President Abdullah Gul said he considered Africa Turkey's strategic partner, and he would meet high-level executives and his counterparts in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Cameroon.

Gul's remarks came before he flew to the Democratic Republic of Congo, the first stop of his tour covering this republic and Cameroon.

"I will have the opportunity to discuss political relations as well as regional and international matters," Gul said before he left for the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Gul will visit the Democratic Republic of Congo on March 14-15 as the guest of President Joseph Kabila. He will proceed to Cameroon on March 16 as the guest of President Paul Biya and return to Turkey on March 17.

President Gul is the first Turkish president visiting these two countries. In February 2009, he visited Kenya and Tanzania.

"We will discuss ways to boost our cooperation," Gul told reporters.

Turkey's trade volume with Africa was only 5 billion USD in 2003, but rose to 15 billion USD in 2009.

"Our target is to raise it to 30 billion USD in the possible shortest time," Gul said.

Gul also said Turkey could cooperate with the two countries on contracting, mining, energy, tourism and agriculture.


AA