A promising development

Ever since the human race left its cradle in Ethiopia, and spread across the length and breadth of our amazing continent to finally sprinkle itself around the world, Africa has been a powerful magnet. This attraction has often, it has been for the better but also there were times it was to Africa's loss. Witness the bloody record of slavery and colonialism at the hands of non-Africans, which remain bitter memories and ugly scars.
Africa's centrality to the rest of the world is more than just its embryonic anthropology and its dead center geographic positioning. The last decade especially has, with considerable reason for optimism, been described as one in which the continent has "matured", finally shaking off most symptoms of the perennially sick "Dark Continent". This dim view had permeated itself in the global psyche for hundreds of years, stigmatizing Africa.
There are of course, appalling current events but still, Africa is far better off in 2008 than it was in 1988. At the very least, notwithstanding remaining and potential conflicts, governance issues and the pervasive poverty, Africa and Africans have a new-found, more dynamic, enterprising continental outlook, which is also generating a new global image for the continent.
This new look Africa is being courted and wooed by the developed west and the Far East including Japan, China and India, as well as by another emerging giant, Brazil. This is as much for its abundant mineral wealth as for its much coveted and growing market space - primed and set to boom at the slightest infusion of capital and technology. This rush to Africa has been joined by the Republic of Turkey - an emerging economy that is striding ahead by leaps and bounds.
As do China and India, the modern Republic of Turkey is heir to some of the world's earliest and mightiest civilizations, including the Ottoman Empire, which at its apex spanned from the gates of Kabul in the east to Spain's Cordoba in the west. In Africa the entire northern rim, including Egypt was Ottoman, as well as (briefly) Harar in eastern Ethiopia and Massawa and the Red Sea coast, the latter for almost 300 years.
For all their imperial conquest of a large portion of the then known world, the Ottomans were relatively benign masters, allowing local autonomy in the colonized 'provinces' and Ottoman influence on north and east African religion, culture, architecture and literature is considerable.
The Ottomans left the world stage and by 1923, a new nation had gelled from the core of that far flung empire.
Under Kemal Ataturk was formed what would one day be regarded as the model, Islamic majority modern state.
Speaking of a new Africa and the ridding once and for all, of any vestiges of colonial and neo-colonial misconceptions (the Dark Continent etc.), Turkey itself must work on re-introducing itself as the modern nation it is. Let us assist in this - the tearing down of the widely held view in Africa that Turkey is just another developing nation - only a little better off than Africans. The facts cannot be further from the truth.
Turkey is a vast and diverse nation of over 71 mln, 67% of which are educated urbanites fueling a $636 billion dollar a year economy which has provided an average per capita GDP of $9,000. It produces an abundance of agricultural products as well as a plethora of products - consumer items, machinery and automobiles, engineering and in other fields.
It is with these economic achievements and other successes in education, the rule of law, the arts and culture etc…, that Turkey, chose to exercise its deserved political right to join the European Union. Turkey has been patiently knocking at doors that with each tap, seem to latch shut tighter and tighter. The EU, by delaying - even toying with rejecting Turkish entry, is committing a terrible strategic blunder. The E.U. needs Turkey more than this proud nation can ever derive from membership. We wish the Turks well on their long standing bid but must remind them that Europe's loss may become Africa's gain.
Today's Turkey is engaging with Africa and this time, in the pursuit of mutual prosperity.
Turkey has much to share with the new Africa. For example, this continent can use the manual for Turkey's resilient democracy and its staunchly secular republican model as well as development cooperation in areas of technology transfer.
What Turkey gains is a 900 mln strong emerging market of vast untapped potential. The geographic proximity to each other and the culture affinity between their peoples will undoubtedly provide Turkish and African businesses with an edge.
The Turkey-Africa summit held from August 18 to 21 in Istanbul resulting in Istanbul declaration is a highly welcome development. The momentum must not be lost. We eagerly anticipate tangible results as soon as possible.