Cicek: "Nigeria is crucial for Turkey"

Nigeria is a crucial country for Turkey, said Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek yesterday. Speaking at the Turkey-Nigeria Trade and Investment Forum in Istanbul, organized by the Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON), Cicek called Nigeria the heart and key to Africa. "We stand behind our businesspeople and are their guarantor. I hope you will feel at home doing business in Nigeria," Cicek said. Today's meeting organized by TUSKON is highly important, he added, as it coincides with Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan's visit to Turkey. "The history of Turkish-Nigerian relations will have to devote a special page to President Jonathan's current visit to Turkey," he said. "President Jonathan's visit to Turkey has an enormous historic importance. I hope that Mr. Jonathan will leave Turkey with good impressions." Cicek also said there are many things the two countries can do together and joint goals they can reach. "We've prepared a road map for Turkish-Nigerian relations," he explained. "The task from now on belongs to the businesspeople of our countries to work together on a win-win scenario to strengthen friendship and brotherhood."