Speech by H.E. Abdullah Gül, President of the Republic of Turkey, at the Dinner Hosted in Honor of H.E. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania And Mrs. Kikwete

Mr. President, Dear Brother,
Madame Kikwete,
On my wife's and my own behalf, I most sincerely greet Your Excellency - My Dear Friend, Your Esteemed Spouse and distinguished members of your delegation.
Welcome to Turkey.
We are very proud today to host one of the most distinguished statesmen of Africa.
This first official visit at the presidential level from Tanzania to our country is undoubtedly a pleasing indication as to how much importance Your Excellency attaches to our bilateral relations and cooperation.
I also have paid an official visit to Tanzania, again in February, last year.
The sincere kindness, the warm and genuine hospitality that was displayed during this visit towards my spouse, my delegation, and myself, remains fresh in our memories.
I am of the conviction that my visit to Tanzania presented a significant opportunity both for our official delegation and for the distinguished representatives of the Turkish business world who were accompanying me to experience and explore, on site, the unique beauties of Africa, its historic accumulation of wisdom, dynamic population and attractive investment opportunities.
I do sincerely believe that with this important return visit, following my visit last year, we are taking one more resolute step in moving our relationship even further, strengthening and institutionalizing our cooperation in all areas.
Mr. President, Dear Brother,
Turkey has maintained friendly relations with African countries and its peoples for centuries.
Throughout our history, the Turkish people have always fostered sincere feelings of affinity, without any agenda, towards the African people.
Our most genuine wish and earnest desire is the transformation of Africa, above all, to a continent of opportunities that will bring happiness, peace and prosperity to the peoples of Africa. No doubt, the international community too must bear its responsibility towards this end - without any hesitation.
With this understanding, we observe with appreciation the role played by Tanzania in securing political stability in Eastern Africa, as well as the developments being achieved in economic and social areas, under Your Excellency's able leadership.
We believe that these positive developments will, whilst growing, continue into the future, and that Tanzania will take the place it deserves on the international stage with regard to its level of stability, prosperity and development.
Mr. President, Dear Brother,
Esteemed Guests,
As we have confirmed at the highest level, once again, in our fruitful and beneficial meetings today, our political relations are excellent.
The authorities of both Turkey and Tanzania have the political will and resolve to carry our friendly, brotherly and cooperative relations into the future.
It is gratifying and promising to see that Turkish-Tanzanian bilateral ties and cooperation have started to display a steady development in every field, particularly after the opening of our Embassy in Dar es Salaam.
The opening of a Tanzanian Embassy in Turkey will undoubtedly also help our relations reach a new level.
Another matter that I feel satisfaction about is the establishment of the "Tanzania-Turkey Friendship Group" within the Tanzanian Parliament in November 2009, as the counterpart of the "Turkey-Tanzania Friendship Group" within the Turkish Grand National Assembly.
I believe, therefore, that ties between our parliaments and those directly between our peoples will rapidly gain depth and richness.
I personally attach great importance to our economic and commercial cooperation. In this framework, I call upon our business circles and industrialists to invest in Tanzania on every possible occasion.
I would also like to hereby emphasize, the role of utmost significance that your personal interest and contributions play, Mr. President, in the development of our relations.
I hope that together we will attain in the near future concrete results from the meetings that you will carry on with our business community in Istanbul.
Mr. President, Dear Brother,
Developing our relations with Africa, with which we have historic, moral and cultural ties, constitutes one of the prime orientations of our foreign policy.
As I have mentioned previously on various occasions, our policy of opening up to Africa is not the reflection of certain periodic political and economic expectations.
On the contrary, it is the product of a process with a historic basis.
It is, foremost, the expression and natural result of the unshakable feelings of friendship between the Turkish and African peoples.
It is in this regard that I greatly value and attach importance to the establishment of strategic partnership relations between our country and the African Union through the First Turkey-Africa Co-operation Summit that I hosted in Istanbul in August 2008, which took place during Your Excellency's term as President of the African Union.
We will resolutely carry on our efforts and works, aiming at further strengthening Turkey-Africa cooperation, based on the spirit of sustainable partnership, in the future.
Mr. President, Dear Brother,
As I have stated at the beginning of my speech, I left your beautiful country with the warmest feelings.
I would like to thank you, once more, for your hospitality and wish that your visit will be successful, and that Your Excellency, Your Esteemed Spouse and Your valuable delegation will leave my country, with the same warm feelings.
I reiterate my belief that your visit will further strengthen our friendly and cooperative relations and I am pleased to convey both on my behalf, and on behalf of my spouse, our best wishes for the health of Your Excellency and Your Esteemed Spouse and for the prosperity and well being of the friendly and brotherly people of Tanzania.