Çağlayan, currently in Algeria with a delegation of some 150 businessmen to attend a Turkey-Algeria Business Forum and have talks with Algerian officials, participated in a meeting on the construction sector at the Sheraton Hotel yesterday.
Delivering a speech at the meeting, Çağlayan noted that his visit to Algeria is very important because this is the first time a Turkish trade mission has been to Algeria in over three years. Speaking on the sidelines of the Turkey-Algeria Business Forum, Çağlayan said some 450 Algerian company representatives will hold talks with their Turkish counterparts.
Speaking of the improvement in trade relations between Turkey and African countries, he said the share of African countries in the Turkish construction sector's overseas operations and overall foreign trade has been steadily increasing. The ministry adopted a new concept under which it wants Turkish consultancy and engineering companies to go to several countries that were selected as target countries, the minister said, adding that this will be a boon to Turkish construction companies and building materials producers. “The ministry will provide some $30 million to the consultancy and engineering sectors in 2010,” he said.
Çağlayan stated that free trade agreements were signed with several African nations, including Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia, to boost Turkey's trade with these countries. Such an agreement could not yet be signed with Algeria, he added.
Algeria's imports totaled $40 billion, half of this amount coming from European Union countries, the minister said, adding that Turkey's share in this total import level is only 4 percent. As Algeria is the fourth largest natural gas exporter in the world and holds the 14th largest oil reserves, Çağlayan stressed the necessity of increasing the trade volume between Algeria and Turkey. He cited high duties as the primary obstacle to reaching this goal.
