Turkey’s national carrier, Turkish Airlines, has announced its plan to establish direct flights between Istanbul and Tanzania’s capital city of Dar es Salaam in the near future. In a joint communique issued during the final day of the visit by Turkish President Abdullah Gul to Tanzania, among key areas of cooperation between Tanzania and Turkey will be aviation business.

Tanzanian Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Bernard Membe said Turkish Airlines has shown a great interest to join other big airlines to establish schedule flights to Tanzania as a forward step to foster stronger bilateral trade ties between Turkey and Tanzania.

While in Tanzania, the Turkish president said he was disappointed in the lack of direct flights between the two countries. Turkish travelers visiting Tanzania have to pass through Nairobi in Kenya.

Turkish Airlines operates on a network of scheduled services to 140 global destinations and 135 domestic destinations. It serves 155 airports in Europe, Asia, Africa and America. The airline operates flights in 11 African airports including Nairobi, the newly established destination launched during last weekend’s visit in Kenya by the Turkish president.

Other African destinations where the airline operates are Cairo, Addis Ababa, Khartoum, Lagos, Tripoli, Tunis, Algiers, Casablanca, Johannesburg and Cape Town.

The Turkish president said investors from his country were interested in the infrastructure and construction of airports. President Gul and his host, Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, witnessed a signing of a protocol on technical, scientific and economic cooperation in agriculture. “The protocol will serve as an important reminder of the commitment and readiness of our two governments to work together in partnership for our mutual benefit,” said President Kikwete said.

President Gul and his delegation of over 100 businessmen visited Kenya and Tanzania from last weekend and left for Ankara early this week.