Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a phone conversation with Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Thursday, discussing bilateral relations between Türkiye and Rwanda as well as regional developments.

During the call, Erdoğan highlighted the positive momentum in trade and investment relations between the two countries and reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to expanding cooperation across a range of sectors.

The Turkish president particularly emphasized continued collaboration in the defense industry, alongside broader economic and diplomatic cooperation.

Regional developments, including tensions between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), were also discussed during the conversation.

Erdoğan welcomed ongoing efforts aimed at de-escalating tensions between Kigali and Kinshasa and praised what he described as the constructive approach demonstrated by both sides.

He reiterated Türkiye’s support for the de-escalation process, signaling Ankara’s continued interest in contributing to efforts aimed at promoting stability and dialogue in the region.

The conversation comes as Türkiye has sought to deepen its diplomatic and economic engagement across Africa, with trade, investment, defense cooperation and political dialogue forming key elements of Ankara’s expanding relations with African countries. (ILKHA)