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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan landed in Johannesburg on Friday ahead of a two-day G20 leaders' summit, bringing a high-level delegation to the gathering of the world's largest economies.
The president touched down at OR Tambo International Airport, where South African Human Settlements Minister Thembisile Simelane and Türkiye's Ambassador to Pretoria Kezban Nilvana Darama Yildirimgec led the welcoming party, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.
Erdogan's delegation includes First Lady Emine Erdogan along with key cabinet members and advisers: Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek, Presidential Chief of Staff Hasan Dogan, Communications Director Burhanettin Duran, and chief foreign policy and security adviser Akif Cagatay Kilic. AK Party Deputy Chairman and Spokesperson Omer Celik and additional senior officials round out the traveling party.
The G20 summit will convene Saturday and Sunday at the Johannesburg Expo Center, where leaders from the group's member nations will address global economic and development challenges. Erdogan is slated to participate in two formal sessions on Saturday.
Beyond the main summit proceedings, the Turkish president's itinerary includes sideline meetings with several other heads of state and government. Summit organizers have scheduled a dinner Saturday evening honoring the attending leaders.
The G20 represents roughly 85 percent of global gross domestic product and two-thirds of the world's population, making it a significant forum for international economic cooperation and policy coordination.
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