Hendrik Wüst visits Turkey to mark 65th anniversary of recruitment agreement

North Rhine-Westphalia Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst is undertaking a three-day official visit to Turkey, marking the first trip to the country by a head of the North Rhine-Westphalian government. The visit commemorates the 65th anniversary of the recruitment agreement between Germany and Turkey, which facilitated the migration of hundreds of thousands of Turkish workers to Germany.

Wüst’s itinerary includes political discussions in Ankara and an economic conference in Istanbul. During the trip, former German national football captain Ilkay Gündogan will receive an award for tolerance and reconciliation between cultures.

The visit highlights the deep ties between the region and Turkey; one-third of all people with Turkish roots in Germany reside in North Rhine-Westphalia. Furthermore, the annual trade volume between the state and Turkey is estimated at 10 to 12 billion euros, representing approximately 20 percent of total German-Turkish trade.