Turkish companies mull to reach Africa via Yemen

GAZIANTEP, July 09 (Saba) - Yemen offers a "commercial gate" opportunity to the Turkish businessmen to reach African markets.

Sadik Yildiz, founder chairman of Turkish-Yemeni Business Council has said "Yemen
is a neighbour of Africa. It has a port 10 miles to Djibouti. Turkish companies may
export
from Yemen to Africa and use Yemen as a base. Organized industry zones were
established in Yemen.
They expect support from the Turkish party to operate the industry zones".
He said Turkish private sector did not know much about Yemen. "Four separate
delegations from Yemen visited Turkey in June. Foreign Economic Relations Board of
Turkey will
organize a tour of Yemen in July to seek business opportunities." "Only nine Turkish
companies are actually operating in Yemen. There is a very high cooperation and
investment
potential there. European and U.S. companies are not eager to make investments there
because of security reasons. However, Turkish companies are welcomed there.
We do not have any security problems," Yildiz said adding that Turkey and Yemen
could cooperate in third countries.
Yildiz said foreign trade of Turkey and Yemen was around 400 million USD,
indicating that Turkish exports were 380 million USD, "we target to achieve 1
billion USD by the
end of 2012," he said.
Historical ties between Turkey and Yemen were strong and 300,000 people had been
martyred there in the Ottoman period, Yildiz said.
AF/AF