The Gambia had many achievements since its independence on February 18, 1965 and stands out in its region for its stability. Its commitment to democracy and economic development efforts enabled her to have an active role in regional and international organizations such as the UN, the AU, ECOWAS and the OIC, and The Gambia has taken steps and initiatives to support peace and seek solutions to regional crises.
We are proud that today also marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations. Türkiye is one of the countries that best grasps African nations’ struggle against colonialism. Türkiye, in defence of its independence and sovereignty, fought against the occupation during its War of Independence a century ago.
Modern Türkiye today stands as a democracy with a vibrant economy, developed infrastructure and skilled work force. Türkiye became a valuable member of international community, contributing to peace, stability and prosperity in its region and beyond.
President Erdoğan ranks first in terms of the number of visits to Africa among global leaders. With 44 Embassies, Türkiye has expanded its footprint acrossthe continent. As our African friends reciprocated, Ankara has become an “African Hub” with 38 African missionsalong with its dynamic African diaspora comprised of students, artists, business people and tourists.
As a strategic partner of the African Union (AU), we have jointly organized three Summits on Türkiye-Africa Partnership in 2008, 2014 and 2021 with the AU. We have been eagerly implementing the decisions approved at the Third Summit in close cooperation with all our African friends, so as to bring our relations with the Continent to a whole new and elevated level. In this framework, The Third Ministerial Review Conference of The Africa – Türkiye Partnershipwas held on 2-3November 2024, in Djibouti, under the chairmanship of our Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Hakan Fidan. We now aim to mutually benefit from our enhancedcollaboration with the AU and the African regional organizations in other international platforms such as the UN, OIC and OECD.
The Gambia stands out as a key partner for Türkiye at bilateral, regional, continental and global levels, despite the geographical distance. The policies led by our respective leaders H.E. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and H.E. President Adama Barrow enabledour relations to flourish.
Our common vision in global issues plays an important role in our cooperation. Türkiye shares the same fundamentalexpectations asThe Gambiain buildinga just and efficient global order based on effective multilateralism, including structural reform of the UN system. In this context, historical injustices againstthe Continent need to be addressed, including therepresentation of African countries ininternational fora.
We enjoy a strong cooperation in international fora. Türkiye supports Gambian initiatives and rightful stance, including the Palestinian cause, Lebanese questions and the Rohingya case. We wholeheartedly congratulate The Gambia for her OIC Chairmanship and commend the “Smiling Coast” for the successful OIC Summit held in Banjul in May 2024.
Our bilateral relations are multifaceted and diverse.Military and defence cooperationhave beenone ofthe main pillars of our relations since 1991.The Turkish Armed Forces, Gendarmerieand Turkish National Police have provided training and equipment support to thousands of Gambia Armed Forces and security personnel whenever they needed it. The recent delivery of 17 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) to the Gambia Armed Forces is another firm commitment to The Gambia's aspiration to contribute to international peace and security by integrating into UN peacekeeping operations.
Our bilateral trade volume is steadily growing. It has exceeded 87 million Dollars (617 million Dalasi) in 2024 with an increase of %20 compared to 2023. I am happy to share that in 2024, Gambian exports to Türkiye have rose. We would like to maintainthis momentum and nurture the environmentof trust and cooperation. Hence, we underscore our "win-win" principle on every occasion.
However, our goal goes beyond trade. Türkiye, has been and will be supporting The Gambia in her quest for inclusive, equitable and sustainable development and prosperity, based on equal partnership and mutual respect. Since 2013, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) has implemented more than 80 projects in this countrywith a budget of more than 3.5 million Dollars(248,500,000 Dalasi). In 2024 alone, 16 projects worth approximately 350,000 Dollars (24,850,000 Dalasi) were realized in different sectors such as women empowerment, health, waste management and environment.
Since its establishment in The Gambia, the Turkish Maarif School has been committed to provide the highest quality education to Gambian youth.Our educational support to our Gambian sisters and brothers continues with hundreds of ‘Türkiye Scholarships’ as well as the training and scholarship programmes of the Council of Higher Education and the Presidency of Religious Affairs.Moreover, Yunus Emre Institute, will open its doors in The Gambia very soon. A new page in our relations in the field of culture and language education will begin.
To conclude, I would like to reiterate that Türkiye’s co-operation and support to The Gambia will continue in all fields and we need to maintain this momentum to strengthen our relations and partnership.
Long live The Gambia, long live Türkiye! Long live Turkish-Gambian friendship!
