Turkish top diplomat meets counterparts in Niger

Turkey's top diplomat met the foreign ministers of Chad and the Maldives in Niger's capital Niamey, according to diplomatic sources on Friday.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu is in Niamey to attend the 47th session of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers and to hold bilateral talks, said the sources on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Çavuşoğlu was welcomed by Nigerien Foreign Minister Kalla Ankourao at the airport. He later met separately with Chadian counterpart Amine Abba-Sidick and Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid.

Taking to Twitter after the meetings, Turkish minister said they had had a sincere meeting with Sidick.

"We discussed the election of new Organization of Islamic Cooperation Secretary," he said, adding that Turkey would continue to support education and development of Chadians.

On his meeting with Shahid, Çavuşoğlu said: "[We] Will further develop our cooperation in every field particularly in economy, trade, agriculture and education."

He noted that Turkey's flag carrier Turkish Airlines had newly started flights to the Maldives' capital Male in a move that will "make important contributions to tourism btw our countries."