Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has appreciated Senegal’s stance against Israeli oppression, saying that their solidarity with the Palestinian people serves as an example for many countries.

“Our struggle will continue until the genocide in Gaza ends and those who doom innocent children to hunger and death are held accountable," Erdogan said in a joint news conference with Senegal's Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko on Thursday.

Erdogan said that Türkiye’s relations with Senegal, a key and brotherly country on the African continent, continue to develop.

He said that in Thursday’s consultations, they discussed cooperation opportunities with Sonko, primarily in investment and trade, as well as in security, the defence industry, counter-terrorism, energy, mining, transportation, agriculture, and fisheries.

The Turkish president noted that Ankara aims to raise the trade volume with Senegal to $1 billion initially and eventually to $3 billion.

Sonko praised Türkiye’s continued support, describing it as a brotherly nation that has always stood by Senegal.

Highlighting Türkiye’s strong defence industry, he said bilateral relations are steadily improving.

Sonko also expressed gratitude to Erdogan for being one of the few leaders who opposed Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

"We are pleased with the growing interest of our African brothers in Turkish defence products. We look forward to further strengthening our solidarity in this area in the coming period," he said.

'Rejecting arrogant approach'

Türkiye has in recent years consolidated its foothold in Africa, at a time when many African countries are turning away from their former colonial rulers.

Ankara has signed defence agreements with a number of states spanning the breadth of the continent, including Somalia, Libya, Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Ghana.

Those agreements have opened up Türkiye's defence manufacturers to Africa, notably for its reputedly reliable and inexpensive drones.

Erdogan hailed Africa as the "star of our century" with its wealth of young workers, dynamism and natural beauty.

"No country with a global vision can ignore the African continent or turn its back on this magnificent geography," he said.

He said anyone who criticised the Turkish-African partnership was "trying to confine our country to shallow waters".

"We reject any arrogant, condescending, orientalist approach to the African continent,” he added.