Tough times: Turkey puts Africa on priority bail-out list

President Recef Erdoghan of Turkey, has expressed the country’s readiness to ensuring that the Turkish development assistance to African countries are in line with the priorities of African countries and African Union.

The President disclosed this through the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, H.E. Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu at the Turkey-Africa Day, recently.

Minister Çavuşoğlu explained that Turkey’s humanitarian engagements in Africa, as well as other parts of the world, are aimed at introducing permanent solutions rather than makeshift remedies for structural problems.

This humanitarian policy, according to him, comprises of social responsibility projects conducted with the active involvement of Turkish civil society and business sector, and that has achieved improving countless lives on the ground.

“In formulating and implementing development projects, the wellbeing of societies is always a priority of Turkey’s official development effort. In this regard, Turkey establishes infrastructure and takes necessary measures for the sustainability of these undertakings to the benefit of local societies and put emphasis on capacity building at every step of the way,” he said.

For instance, two Turkish hospitals were commissioned in conflict ridden regions: Darfur and Mogadishu. These training and research hospitals were officially inaugurated in 2014 and 2015 respectively. “Turkish government could have taken the easy way by handing over the keys of the hospitals to the Sudanese and Somali authorities after completing the construction and refurbishment. Instead, Turkey, together with the local authorities, has established joint management teams for the hospitals for the next five-year-period. By doing so, we are ensuring both the high quality health services, provided by over 100 Turkish doctors and health professionals, and training the future local managers and staff of the hospitals.”

We continue encouraging the Turkish NGOs and entrepreneurs to be socially aware of the current and future needs and requirements of the people, wherever they operate. This approach will remain as one of our ultimate operating principles in providing humanitarian and development assistance.”

Like what the country is doing in over 140 countries, he explained that Turkish development agencies would provide educational infrastructure, vocational training, proper health services and aid mechanised farming across the country.

“Our target is not for specific people but the entire citizens of the country that have been deprived access to quality education and acquisition of vocational skills among other challenges. We know that the country has great population and great opportunities and we are set to assist it to explore its potentials. As long as the Memorandum of Understanding is signed, we will start building our branches across Nigeria. We have done that in Ethiopia, Cameroon, Uganda and the President has instructed us to replicate same in Nigeria,” he added.

Meanwhile, Turkish businessmen and investors, while creating employment for local youth, are also developing corporate responsibility projects to alleviate the suffering of the people effected by the natural and man-made disasters.

For instance, Turkish companies in Ethiopia, have recently initiated a campaign for the victims of drought caused by El Nino. Under the coordination of TIKA and Turkish Embassy in Addis Ababa, and participation of the Alumni Association of Ethiopian Students who studied in Turkey, Turkish businessmen in Ethiopia donated over 350.000 US Dollars. The funds were used for provision of food for 3.000 families and animal feed for 5.000 households in Afar region, where the people were hit hardest by the drought.