***The Turkish president will hold meetings with counterparts on sidelines.

The 3rd Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit began Thursday with a meeting of high-level government officials in Istanbul, Turkey’s Communications Directorate said in a statement.

The summit will continue with a meeting of foreign ministers Dec. 17.

Concurrent sessions on health care, education, and agriculture with relevant ministers will be held also be held.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will hold meetings with counterparts on the sidelines of the summit.

The summit will ensure the transition of strategic ties between Turkey and the African Union as well as African countries to a new stage, it said.

The theme of the summit is, “Enhanced Partnership for Common Development and Prosperity.”

“With the communique, action plan and joint implementation report, expected to be adopted at the summit, relations improving in every area between Turkey and Africa, including the concrete projects to be carried out for the benefit of the continent, will be shaped between 2022 and 2026 until the next summit,” it added.