Forum Africa 2026 Concludes: Africa’s Structural Challenges and the Search for Local Solutions Discussed in Istanbul

Forum Africa 2026, held from 20 to 22 May under the auspices of the Faculty of Political Sciences at Marmara University, in collaboration with the Marmara University Turkey-France Relations Research and Application Centre (TUFRAM) and the Institute of Afro-Eurasian Studies, emerged as a significant international platform addressing African studies from a multi-dimensional perspective.

Organised under the theme “Structural Challenges and Home-Grown Solutions”, the forum brought together diverse fields such as diplomacy, security, energy, the digital economy, agriculture, trade, migration, the diaspora, culture and youth under one roof. Spanning three days, the events brought together academics, diplomats, businesspeople, representatives of international organisations, civil society actors and students on a single platform, thereby establishing a strong intellectual and institutional foundation for African studies in Turkey.

The first day of the forum focused primarily on diplomatic relations, institutional cooperation and economic initiatives. In their opening addresses, Organising Committee Chair Prof. Dr Ali Arı and Marmara University Rector Prof. Dr Mehmet Emin Okur emphasised that Turkey’s engagement with Africa should be assessed not merely from a foreign policy perspective, but within the framework of academic output, economic integration and social cooperation. Ambassador Dr Ayşe Sözen Usluer, Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Istanbul, who delivered the keynote address at the opening, provided a comprehensive assessment of the historical development, diplomatic transformation and future strategic directions of Turkey-Africa relations.

In the first session titled “Diplomacy, Cooperation and Strategic Priorities for African Development”, moderated by Ambassador Ömer Faruk Doğan, the Rwandan Ambassador to Turkey, Charles Kayonga, highlighted the importance of diplomatic coordination, regional cooperation and sustainable partnerships in continental development processes. This session highlighted the perspective of “Africa’s own capacity for solutions”, which forms the core approach of the forum.

One of the standout topics of the first day was agricultural diplomacy and food security. In the speech titled “Agricultural Diplomacy, Food Security and Sustainable Development in Turkey-Africa Relations”, delivered by Dr Hasan Gezginç, General Manager of Agricultural Enterprises, it was stated that Africa’s structural problems must be assessed not only from a security-centred perspective, but also within the framework of agricultural production capacity, the food supply chain and sustainable development. It was emphasised that Turkey’s experience in the agricultural sector holds significant potential to contribute to production processes in Africa.

In the business and investment-focused sessions moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Sadık Akyar, speakers including Yusuf Bedir, Denise Dinçsoy, Nevzat İlhami Eren and Murat Öcal discussed infrastructure investments, logistics networks, corporate partnerships and new economic opportunities in Africa. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Sadık Akyar, who moderated the session, also provided comprehensive assessments on the transformation of defence and security architecture in Africa, strategic collaborations that the Turkish defence industry could develop with African countries, the transfer of defence technologies, and security-based diplomatic initiatives. Particular attention was drawn to potential areas of cooperation between the growing security needs in Africa and Turkey’s defence industry capacity. The active participation of private sector representatives and strategic sector experts in the forum demonstrated that the event had evolved into a multi-layered platform encompassing not only academic but also economic and security diplomacy dimensions.

The second day of the forum gained greater strategic depth through discussions centred on geopolitical transformation, energy security and the digital economy. In his opening remarks, Ambassador Prof. Dr. Ahmet Kavas emphasised that Turkey’s diplomatic representation capacity in Africa has increased significantly in recent years, drawing attention to Africa’s rising strategic position within the global system. Moussa Hissein Moussa, Director of Africa Without Borders, offered insights on Africa-centred solution-generation mechanisms, continental cooperation and social mobility.

One of the most notable sessions of the second day was the panel titled “The African Dimensions of the Iran War: Geopolitics, Economy, and Energy”, organised by the Al Sharq Forum. In the assessments presented by Dr Mohammad Affan, Khaled Fouad, Iheb Achek and Zied Boumakhla; the geopolitical impacts of Iran-centred regional crises on Africa, energy supply security, vulnerabilities in the Red Sea corridor, and the repercussions of global power competition on African economies were discussed. This session highlighted that Africa has now become not merely a regional player but one of the central hubs of global geopolitical competition.

In the sessions focused on the digital economy, representatives of the WORLDEF Forum took centre stage. In the assessments made by WORLDEF Forum CEO Ömer Nart, the rise of e-commerce in Africa, digital payment systems, logistics infrastructure, and the potential for e-export between Turkey and Africa were discussed. Sadık Kocabaşa highlighted digital customs processes and trade facilitation mechanisms; whilst Bilal Bayrak provided insights into housing issues, urbanisation processes and investment areas, particularly centred on Mozambique.

In the session organised by the WCI Forum, areas such as exports, field experience and health tourism took centre stage. Utku Bengisu emphasised that the key to commercial success in Africa is “being on the ground”, highlighting the importance of local networks, relationships of trust and sustainable trade models. Veysel Gerdan, meanwhile, offered insights into the growth potential of medical tourism exports and the medical services sector in Africa.

The third and final day of the forum centred on culture, society, art and youth. The day’s proceedings were opened by TRT Africa Coordinator Tuğrul Oğuzhan Yılmaz, who discussed the role of communication networks in media, public diplomacy and Turkey-Africa relations. This was followed by a presentation by Prof. Dr. Bayram Mürsel on the cultural and social dimensions of African studies, in which he argued that viewing Africa solely through the prism of security and economic crises constitutes an incomplete approach.

As part of the programme, a book discussion with Moussa Hissein Moussa, Director of Africa Without Borders assessed the historical memory of African societies, post-colonial transformation processes, and the perspectives of African youth regarding the future.

One of the day’s key practical events, the simulation session titled “Critical Minerals in Africa and Global Competition”, was organised under the coordination of the Young Diplomacy Association. In the simulation, which saw active participation from students of Kütahya Dumlupınar University and Marmara University; critical minerals, energy security, economic sovereignty, China-Africa relations and global power competition were addressed through a multilateral diplomatic negotiation model.

During the cultural day, music and art events featured performances by Enzo Ikah and Grace Bella centred on African culture and music; at the end of the day, participants had the opportunity to engage directly with the rhythms and social expressions of African culture through the African Dance Workshop organised under the coordination of Meriç Su Giray.

When assessed within a broader framework, Forum Africa 2026 has established a multi-dimensional platform for engagement with Africa, bringing together academia, diplomacy, the business world, the media, culture and youth under one roof. The Forum highlighted that Africa is an emerging global actor shaped not only by crises and structural issues, but also by digital transformation, entrepreneurship, energy corridors, cultural production, its young population and regional cooperation. In this regard, Forum Africa 2026 served as a comprehensive international platform that made significant contributions to the development of new intellectual perspectives, institutional partnerships and sustainable strategic networks regarding the future of Turkey-Africa relations.