Turkey’s relation with Africa is old, it goes back to the sixteenth century. It had developed political, cultural and economic relations with the Arab North African countries, the Nilotic Sudan and some strategic parts in East Africa. There was no significant presence or relation with Sub-Saharan Africa. However, the religious bond linked nearly all-African Muslims especially those of Bilad al-Sudan and North-East Africa with the Ottoman Caliphate – the Servitor of the Two Holy Places – Mecca and Medina is of great significance. Although the Sudan is an Afro-Arab country, much influenced by the Ottoman Empire, like other Arab countries, I am considering it in this paper as a Sub-Saharan African country.

Africa with its vast resources now represents the world new Economic Frontier and hence it is laid open to tough competition among the highly developed nations. Mighty in civilization, well armed as a regional power and equipped with the characteristic of a modern state. Turkey aims at developing its relations with the African continent. In 1998, an Action Plan of the Turkish Foreign Policy of Opening Up to Africa was initiated. On 21st, September 2005. H. E. Mr. Abdullah Gül, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, of the Republic of Turkey, in his speech to the 60th session of United Nations General Assembly states: “We attach great importance to furthering our relations and cooperation with the African Continent. According to an Action plan Turkey is vigorously developing its relations with Africa as a whole. We recently opened an office in Addis Ababa to serve as a coordinating Centre for Turkish humanitarian and developmental assistance to the continent.