Turkey - Sudan Strategic Dialogue
“Thinking Diplomacy: New World New Horizons“When we look at the main trends in the world, global competition in the age of new economy based on "information and knowledge-based products" following "soil and machinery" is developing through "micro-nationalism", "integration" and "unpredictability’’. Challenges that determine the new nature of life and state; such as " crisis in resource and sharing ", unsustainability of production-consumption-growth formula, purge of the middle class with Chinese leverage, energy, water, and food insecurity, transition to the 4th dimension, liquidation of human resources in the workforce, transition from hard power to soft and smart power on the basis of the very changing state nature and anticipation management, can be formed as the basic references.
Within all these fundamental parameters, the transformations in technology are prone to change the whole human life and nature by developing with artificial intelligence, virtual/enhanced reality and mobility centered. It is obvious that the concepts of "Industry 4.0" and "Society 5.0" are important topics for managing the transformation of the world within the dimensions of industry and society. Another contributive factor is the turbulence that China creates as it begins to become intensively dominant on the world stage day to day. The New Silk Road project, "One Belt and One Road Initiative"; is shaped as a global integration project involving more than hundred countries, both on land and at sea, permanently changing the distribution of economic shares. In countries with no middle class, authoritarian regimes or chaos stands as two options in the fore-seeable future. How to make the division of labor in terms of regional and global security and how to share the costs is also a point of discussion in the coming period.
The development of new alliances on security can be read from the risks and the initiatives undertaken by dominant countries. The quality of the concepts of property and power, and the business model change historically. The future of the EU with the "Failure in Success" syndrome will be determined by the results of the polarization which revived in the West after the Brexit. Along with all these developments, "Ecosystem of safety" changes with the law. The "Security - Democracy" dilemma will be experienced much more after that. Because, for the democracy, it is difficult to survive in countries where the middle class is melting and security leans to a sophisticated ground. The question "Will security bring us authoritarian regimes" needs to be discussed further.
Turkey distinguishes itself with an 84-million inhabitants, growing economy and geo-strategic status in the center of Afro-Eurasia. Turkey's historical, political and cultural ties between Europe, Black Sea, Caucasus, Asia, Middle East and African countries, rising activity in the international arena, especially in the United Nations, being an important member of organizations such as NATO, OSCE and CICA and with active foreign policy, it has become an increasingly important actor on the global platform.
Sudan regionally and globally stands out with near 43-million population, 18.9 billion dollars of GDP, 1,882,000 km2 surface area, the natural resources of mining, agriculture and livestock sectors, the geostrategic status adjacent to North, Center and East African countries as well as Indian Ocean, Southwestern Asia, the membership of various international organizations and institutions, particularly of the UN and African Union.
Turkey and Sudan are two important countries which have had bilaterally and multilaterally common interests as well as shared history and values. Bilateral relations between Turkey and Sudan have progressed in many fields, particularly in agriculture, energy, health, security and education, with many mutual high-level visits and various cooperation agreements signed on the occasion of these visits. Regional and international issues have always been in the agenda of Turkey-Sudan relations as widely discussed subject matters along with their bilateral, economic, and trading relations. The good level of political relations between Turkey and Sudan is also reflected in the cooperation in international organizations and platforms.
The relations in between two countries have gradually been developing in certain areas such as security, defence, construction, health, education and culture. The activities planned to be carried out in this framework set sight on establishing more close ties between the people of two countries. There also have been efforts by the countries in order to develop more stable and strong basis by means of the relations between civil society organizations, universities, libraries and even museums. Turkey and Sudan still endeavour the bilateral activities to do much more collaborate throughout their regions during such a current globalized world in which regional activities has intensified as well.
The bilateral trade volume between Turkey and Sudan stood at 480 million dollars in 2020 and trade gap weigh against Sudan was 270 million dollars. The main products exported by Turkey to Sudan are electrical machinery, iron and steel, automotive sub-industry products, boilers, machinery, iron and steel goods, plastic products, non-woven clothing and paper/cardboard. The main products exported by Sudan to Turkey are oilseeds and fruits, sugar and sugar products, raw hides, lacquer, gum, resin, essential oils and cotton.
Turkish companies in Sudan are mainly concentrated in the fields of iron-steel, cement, PVC production, leather, marble, grain import and export, bakery, curtain making and furniture, intercity bus transportation, agricultural products trade, white goods trade.
Scholarships have been provided to 654 Sudanese students in Turkey since 1992. The Turkish International Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) and Turkish NGO’s have been carrying out both development and humanitarian projects in Sudan along with the emergency humanitarian assistance for local communities, in close cooperation and coordination with the relevant Sudanese authorities. As one of the most comprehensive foreign aid projects that Turkey has implemented abroad, the Nyala Sudan-Turkey Training and Research Hospital (having 150-beds), built under the coordination of TIKA, was put into service in 2014. Another project carried out by TIKA is the restoration of historical buildings from the Ottoman period on Suakin Island. The first Turkish bank operating in the African Continent opened a branch in Sudan In 2020.
The initiatives, as an integral part of the economic relations between Sudan and Turkey, currently create necessary infrastructure for making deeper the existing cooperation process. As is known, the unique activity, which comprises a basis for political, social and cultural relations, is trading one. All relation activities bound to fail or fade away like a word written on the surface of water unless they have a strong and stable background. It is undeniable that there is a powerful potential to rebuild Sudan-Turkey relations and to keep these relations on a sound basis for many years to come.
It is being deeply felt that there is an urgent necessity for collaborative works of the two countries so that the solutions for the regional issues can be found. Now it is required that the two countries head towards a future structure, in order to uplift the Turkey-Sudan relations an ideal point within a world power schema which takes its form in a multi-dimensional way, by creating a mutual deepening not only in political and strategic basis but also in its each parameters. History offers opportunities for deepening their interdependency to Sudan and Turkey, which witnessed great developments in the integration of governance, economy and local phenomena especially in recent years. In this regard, the Turkey - Sudan Strategic Dialogue Program, which will bring together the representatives of the related sectors in a comprehensive way that includes the strategic dimension of the relations, will play a significant role.
Main Theme
Sectoral and Financial Deepening
Sub Themes
New Balances New Economy
New Multidimensional Security Parameters in Afro-Eurasia Region
Economical Cooperation
Transportation and Logistics
Multidimensional Security and Fight against Terrorism
Bilateral and Multilateral Capacity Building in OIC member Countries
Innovation in Public Administration and Technology Sharing
Cooperation Opportunities in Academy and Culture
Regional and Global Common Perspectives
Primary Sectors
Public Diplomacy, Education and Language
Culture and Tourism
Construction, Construction Business and Infrastructure
Health and Health Tourism
Energy, Petro-chemistry and Investments
Logistics, Transportation and Communication
Banking and Finance (Strategic Investment Fund)
Economy and Trade
Media and Communication
Science and Technology
Brand Cities and Environment
Defence and Space Industry
STUDIES AND ACTIVITIES (DRAFT)
Method
Inductive Reasoning, Participation and Economic Deepening
Turkey - Sudan Committee of Wise Persons Meetings Workshop
Building Capacity and Ecosystem Inventory
Preparation of Research Projects and their Reports
Development of Pro-active Policy Recommendations
Round-Table Meetings/Workshops
Multilateral Workshops/Studies
Sector Workshops/Activities
Applied Interactive Modelings
Strategic Reports
Publication of sector studies as strategic reports for decision makers, private sector, media and public opinion of the two countries. Providing literature and memory support.
Media Conferences
Other Academic Studies
Strategic Reports, Books, Articles, Thesis and so on Academic Studies
Event Page
https://tasam.org/en/Etkinlik/18300/turkey_-_sudan_strategic_dialogue_
