The Turkish Asian Center for Strategic Studies (TASAM) is organizing the Fourth International Turkish-African Congress in Istanbul with the theme "regional organizations, institutionalization and cooperation in Africa".

Representatives of 12 regional organizations are participating in this year's congress.

"A balanced globalization cannot be ensured without our continent," Latifah Akharbach, a secretary of state of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Morocco, said.

Akharbach said the non-governmental organizations and civil society would be the envoys of Africa and help development of their continent.

Two sessions, under the topic title of "Regional Economic Organizations", will be held on the first day of the congress. On the second day of the congress, two other sessions will be held under the topic title of "Expert Programs" and "Cooperation Opportunities between Expert Programs and Civil Society Organizations and Regional Economic Organizations in Africa".

The aim of the three-day congress is to provide an opportunity for regional organizations and institutions in the Africa continent to be distinguished more closely, to bring about a comprehensive understanding on the studies of these organizations, to give an opportunity for Turkish investors, who are interested in the region, to get information from African experts themselves, and to contribute to the development of cooperation possibilities between Turkish and African universities, civil society organizations and research centers.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD), the East African Community (EAC), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU), United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), African Development Bank, African Training and Research Center in Administration for Development (CAFRAD), South African Institute of International Affairs, and Tunisian Mother's Association are some of the organizations participating in the congress.


AA