Turkey’s
Government through the Turkish International Cooperation and Coordination
Agency (TIKA) has done a lot to support growth and development in African countries,
including The Gambia.
Still
on her leg in providing support in key areas of development in Africa, Turkey
has set a fresh agenda on reaching out to many countries in Africa through
providing support in key areas of national development, as it continues to
accelerate its support drive to already friendly countries such as The Gambia.
“Turkey
has been a good friend of The Gambia and we are going to expand our projects in
The Gambia and Africa in the short run,” TIKA Vice President Ali Maskan told
African journalists who are on a working visit in Turkey.
“We
have been working on intensifying our relations with African countries in areas
such as agriculture, health and other sectors of importance to national
development,” Mr Maskan disclosed, at the TIKA centre in Ankara.
“We
are planning to establish relations with more countries in Africa,’’ he said.
TiKA
operates through 52 offices in 50 countries, 15 of which are in Africa.
These
include The Gambia, Senegal, Algeria, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Cameroun
and Nambia.
“The
TiKA project has given support to these countries in areas such as agriculture,
health, education, water and sanitation, administrative and civil
infrastructure, production and economic infrastructure,” Mr Maskan said.
In
her remarks in The Gambia during the 93rd Independence anniversary celebrations
of Turkey, Foreign Affairs Minister Macdouall-Gaye said: “Turkey is a true
friend of The Gambia. That is why the volume of our trade is growing; that is
why our leaders nurture a shared global vision and; that is why we stand
together in solidarity at critical times.
“We
strongly believe that through partnership and friendship, Turkey has a
significant role to play in Africa’s transformation.”
Minister
Macdouall-Gaye further outlined some “tangible” cooperation and support Turkey
has rendered to The Gambia.
“In
our defence and security sector, Turkey continues to offer capacity building
and other forms of support to The Gambia National Army. This has contributed
immensely to their ability to undertake courageous UN peacekeeping and AU peace
support operations beyond our borders.
“Turkey
has also been at the forefront of providing capacity building support to some
of our ministries, departments and institutions.
“The
Turkish International Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) also provided
enormous and critical health and assistance to our people and institutions. The
Agency has also facilitated the training of our diplomats, health professionals
and security personnel.
“Turkey
continues to also award a good number of scholarships to our students who are
studying diverse disciplines. Our peoples are also getting closer through
various exchange visits.”
The
Foreign Affairs minister also said The Gambia would remain grateful to Turkey
for its demonstration of “true friendship and genuine” cooperation.
TiKA
continues to share Turkey’s experience, knowledge, means and resources with
African countries on the basis of ‘African solutions to African problems’
principle, and mutual benefit.
The
relations of African countries with Turkey “have in recent years gained
momentum in many spheres” ranging from trade volume to political dialogue
mechanisms, from educational activities to economic investments.
“On
the framework of developing relations on the principles of ‘equal partnerships
and mutual benefit,’ Turkey aspires to mould her experience in the same melting
pot with the potentials of African countries,” TIKA VP Maskan said.
“To
that end, Turkey mobilizes, with utmost frankness and courage, all her means
everywhere needed.”
TiKA
today, he said further, “is active in more than 100 countries where needed”,
from Africa to Latin America, in a context where Turkish official development
assistance exceeded US$3.6 billion in 2014 in contrast to US$73 million in
2002.
During
the working visit to Turkey, several areas where visited by the crew of
journalists from Africa, including Ethiopia, Nigeria and The Gambia.
