During his official visit to Ankara from August 6 to 10, Senegalese leader Ousmane Sonko met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to solidify a broad-ranging partnership between the two nations.
The five-day program saw the signing of key agreements spanning education, culture, finance, agriculture, and defense—signaling a robust commitment to deepen bilateral cooperation.
Among the signed accords are a memorandum of understanding on education for 2025-2028, a film and audiovisual co-production agreement, an amendment protocol to a 2020 bilateral treaty, and new financial and military cooperation agreements.
A standout initiative from the visit centers on agriculture. Senegal’s Minister of Agriculture, Mabouba Diagne, announced a landmark partnership with Türkiye’s public agricultural agency, TİGEM, to establish a 500-hectare pilot development farm.
Equipped with advanced irrigation technology, solar power, and training facilities, this modern farm aims to become a hub for producers and technicians to cultivate high-yield certified seeds.
This project targets a major goal: reducing Senegal’s annual corn imports by 450,000 tons by expanding cultivation to 90,000 hectares with a target yield of 5 tons per hectare.
The farm is expected to be operational within twelve months through a public-private partnership, marking a critical step toward agricultural self-sufficiency.
On the defense front, Sonko’s delegation—including General Birame Diop—visited Turkish defense firms Aselsan and Havelsan. Discussions focused on modernizing naval weapons systems, enhancing border security, bolstering cyber defense, and improving coastal surveillance.
These talks underscore Senegal’s ambition to strengthen operational capabilities to better safeguard its maritime borders and counter emerging security threats.
By weaving together agriculture, education, culture, and defense, this visit lays a comprehensive foundation for a long-term partnership between Senegal and Türkiye—one poised to address both economic growth and security challenges in the years ahead.
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