Turkey and Sudan are contemplating ways of improving trade and investment links, including making letters of credit (L/Cs) more available for imports and exports between the two countries.

Sudan is also looking to Turkey to finance infrastructure and development projects and to leverage Turkish experience to implement such projects.

Ministerial view

Sudan's finance and economic planning minister, Badr-Eddin Mahmoud, recently held talks with chairman of Turkey's Iller Bank, Fuat Gedi.

After the talks, the minister told media that Sudan is very keen to strengthen relations with Turkey and Khartoum wants to establish several bilateral strategic cooperation agreements.

Correspondent focus

Gedi specifically focused on the need for improved cooperation between the two countries' banking sectors, particularly in terms of establishing correspondent banking relationships to improve the availability of L/Cs for importers and exporters.

This would assist the two countries' shared aim to boost bilateral trade. Sudan specifically wants improved L/C availability to boost exports from its agriculture sector.

This article represents the views of the author and not necessarily those of the ICC or any of the other partners in DC-PRO.