South African Deputy President Paul Mashatile led an official delegation on a working visit to Türkiye to co-chair the inaugural Bi-National Commission (BNC) with Turkish Vice-President Cevdet Yılmaz on October 15, 2025, in Ankara. This high-level BNC meeting, established by a 2012 agreement but never formalized until now, signals a strategic pivot by South Africa to deepen political, economic, and security cooperation with Türkiye, especially amid heightened trade tensions with the United States.
The bilateral engagements yielded the signing of several new agreements. Key outcomes include establishing a Joint Economic and Trade Commission (JETCO) and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) focused on higher education and training, and cooperation in areas like Free Zones/Special Economic Zones. Furthermore, the delegation met with Turkish industrial giants, including the ATA Holding group (expressing readiness to invest in food production, cold chain logistics, and agri-business) and defense firms TAI/TUSAŞ and Aselsan.Deputy President Mashatile, accompanied by a large delegation including Ministers of Defence, Trade, and Science, later traveled to Istanbul to address the Türkiye-Africa Business and Economic Forum. This participation aims to elevate trade relations and cement South Africa’s position as a gateway for Turkish investment into the broader African market. The partnership is strategically focused on diversification, industrial collaboration, and strengthening South Africa’s exports in manufactured goods, automotive products, and raw materials like manganese.
