At a time when Turkey is boosting its focus on the rapidly emerging African markets, leading players from the country’s business community are organizing even more mutual trade and investment events than ever before, seeking to reinforce ties with the continent.

The TUSKON delegation, led by Chairman Rızanur Meral and including Ethiopian Ambassador to Ankara Ayolev Gobozia, arrived in Addis Ababa on Friday as part of a mutual trade visit.

TUSKON will also hold a trade and investment summit in Addis Ababa late on Friday. The Ethiopia-Turkey Trade and Investment Forum will also be joined by Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn. Businesspeople from Turkey and Ethiopia are expected to hold talks for possible future investment and trade opportunities.

Mutual trade between Turkey and Ethiopia jumped to $441.5 million in 2012 from $27.3 million in 2000, Turkish government data reveals. Turkey was the fifth largest exporter to Ethiopia in 2012.

TUSKON has been promoting the improvement of trade ties with Africa and has already conducted a series of meetings to boost commercial relations with African countries. It is thanks to these efforts that Turkish firms have enjoyed considerable success in Africa.

On Saturday the businesspeople from both countries will participate in the Ethiopia leg of this year’s Turkish Olympiads, held as a part of the International Turkish Education Association’s (TÜRKÇEDER) Language and Culture Festival since 2002.