The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Executive Secretary, His Excellency Mr. Elias M. Magosi, received a courtesy call from the Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Botswana and SADC, His Excellency Mr. Ahmet İdem Akay, at the SADC Secretariat in Gaborone on 16 September 2026.
The meeting provided an opportunity for Ambassador Akay to bid farewell as he concludes his diplomatic assignment on 21 September 2026, following a tenure that began in February 2023. Discussions focused on matters of mutual interest and the continued strengthening of cooperation between SADC and the Government of Türkiye.
The SADC Executive Secretary commended Ambassador Akay for his dedicated service and contributions to advancing relations between SADC and Türkiye. He expressed appreciation for the Ambassador’s successful tenure in Botswana and the SADC region and wished him every success in his future endeavors.
Ambassador Akay expressed his gratitude to the Government and people of Botswana, the SADC Secretariat, and SADC Member States for the support and cooperation extended to him throughout his tenure. He noted that relations between Türkiye and SADC had grown over the past three years, driven by a shared commitment to sustainable development, trade, investment, and people-centered cooperation.
He highlighted the successful conclusion of negotiations on the SADC-Türkiye Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) as a milestone in institutional cooperation between the two parties. Ambassador Akay expressed confidence that the partnership would continue to expand under the leadership of his successor and reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to strengthening engagement with the SADC region in areas of mutual interest.
A key highlight of the discussions was the progress made towards the operationalisation of the SADC-Türkiye MoU, which has been successfully concluded and is currently awaiting approval by the SADC Council of Ministers. The proposed MoU provides a framework for enhanced cooperation in several areas, including:
- Promoting and facilitating trade in goods and services on an equitable basis;
- Creating a conducive environment for long-term investment, economic development, and trade diversification;
- Encouraging joint programmes and initiatives that strengthen private sector partnerships; and
- Facilitating information exchange and capacity building through training programmes.
The identified areas of cooperation are aligned with the aspirations of SADC Vision 2050 and the priorities outlined in the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020-2030.
The cooperation framework supports the RISDP pillars of Industrial Development and Market Integration, Infrastructure Development in Support of Regional Integration, Social and Human Capital Development, as well as cross-cutting issues such as gender, youth, environment, climate change, and disaster risk management.
H.E. Mr. Magosi acknowledged Türkiye’s growing engagement with Africa through its development cooperation programmes, coordinated by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA). He noted that Türkiye’s people-centered and needs-based approach to development cooperation complements regional development priorities and presents opportunities for deeper collaboration in areas such as agriculture, education, food security, capacity building, and infrastructure development.
The SADC Executive Secretary also congratulated the Republic of Türkiye on assuming the Presidency of the 31st Session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), scheduled to take place in Antalya, Türkiye, from 9 to 20 November 2026. He conveyed best wishes to H.E. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Government of Türkiye as they prepare to host the global climate summit and oversee the COP31 Action Agenda.
H.E Mr. Magosi thanked Ambassador Akay for his leadership and commitment during the drafting and negotiation of the SADC-Türkiye MoU, noting that the agreement would remain an important part of his legacy in advancing relations between SADC and Türkiye.
He reaffirmed SADC’s commitment to working closely with the incoming Ambassador-designate to further strengthen the partnership and ensure the successful implementation of the SADC-Türkiye cooperation agenda for the mutual benefit of the peoples of the SADC region and the Republic of Türkiye.
