Pretoria - Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe has rolled out the red carpet this morning for visiting Prime Minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Backed by large business delegations, the two countries will be cutting trade and business deals following Motlanthe's official visit to Turkey in May 2010.
The two leaders will also review the state of bilateral political and economic relations between the two countries, including the status and implementation of agreements and programmes of cooperation.
Both leaders will sign a Joint Declaration and observe the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding.
Furthermore, the two leaders will review progress on Africa-Turkey cooperation, exchange notes on developments in North Africa and the Middle East, and discuss multilateral issues of common interests such as UN reform and UNSC issues, G20 and climate change (COP 17).
The two countries enjoy good relations as evidenced by regular high level engagements and structured meetings geared at consolidation and deepening bilateral relations.
With the Turkish economy being the 16th largest in the world, they also understand that South Africa is a key in sub-Saharan Africa and will be a great strategic partner not only from a region-wide perspective, but also for global issues.
South Africa can be Turkey's gateway to a much larger consumer market for its products as the country is the leading dynamic force in regional organisations from the 15-member Southern African Development Community (SADC), to the five-member Southern African Customs Union (SACU).
In turn, South Africa is looking to benefit from Turkish business experience, being a country with a great supply of raw materials but short on developed industries that could reap the full benefits of the raw wealth of the country.
Turkish experience in the machinery, textile and construction industries may help the South African economy rise further.
With a stable government, booming economy, vast consumer market, friendly investment environment and solid financial system, South Africa offers attractive factors for Turkish companies to be involved in the country.
During the visit, Erdogan is also scheduled to pay a courtesy call on President Jacob Zuma, address a South Africa-Turkey Business Forum and deliver a lecture on Turkey's Foreign Policy.
