A 30-member delegation of Turkish investors from the steel industry would visit Ghana on July 6, to hold meetings with top government officials, the private sector and industrial users of steel.

The delegation, representing 21 leading companies across Turkey and Europe, would be in the country under the auspices of the Turkish Steel Exporters’ Association.

It would be led by its Board Chairman, Mr. Nam?k Ekinci.

The visit is expected to shore up bilateral trade relations between Ghana and Turkey, expand platforms for fresh strategic partnerships and explore new business and growth opportunities for both nations.

A statement issued by Mahogany Consult, local media and event organisers, made available to the Ghana News Agency in Accra, on Wednesday said, “The forthcoming visit by the Turkish delegation further demonstrates the growing importance of Ghana as a key emerging market and a potential strategic trading partner with Turkey in the steel sector”.

The delegation would hold meetings with the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Energy, and the Ghana Chamber of Commerce as well as stakeholders in the steel industry in the country.

The Turkish companies represented are offering a wide range of steel products, including HR/CR coils, diamond and tear-drop pattern plates, wire rods, billets, beams, bars, hollow sections, tubes, pipes and other steel products.

Turkey is Europe’s second biggest crude steel producer, and the seventh largest steel exporting country in the world with exports to more than 180 countries.

This significant business visit and trade exchange sessions would not only be a great platform for productive dialogue between Ghana and Turkey, but would boost the steel sub-sector and the Ghana manufacturing base.

Turkey has emerged strongly on the global steel market and her total crude steel production was expected to reach 38 million tonnes at the end of 2012, with exports for around 18.1 million tonnes worth $15.4 billion in 2011.

Turkish steel has been in several high-profile projects around the world, including the Al Burj Tower in Dubai, at 1,050 metres, the world’s tallest building, the Dubai Underground Project, Heathrow Airport terminal extension, Turkey-Greece natural gas pipeline and the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan crude oil pipeline.

In addition, it is used in car manufacturing such as Toyota Corolla and Verso, Honda Civic and City, Hyundai Accent and Matrix, Renault Megane, Clio and Fiat Albea, Palio Doblo and Linea.

The association was established in October 2005 with the basic aims of increasing exports and facilitating the business of its 652 member firms.

It maximises Turkey’s steel export potential by undertaking studies on harmonisation of types, qualities and quantities of exportable products with importing countries’ needs, organising trade missions to potential export markets, bringing buyer missions to Turkey, organising seminars, fairs and exhibitions, resolving problems faced by member ?rms, arising from export transactions and carrying out other activities to support its members and their business.**