Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and the Yunus Emre Institute inaugurated the “Multi-Purpose Hall and Turkish Corner” at Yarmouk University, one of Jordan’s oldest universities. This facility is designed to support Turkish language learning and was unveiled in a ceremony.
Through a project in collaboration with TİKA and the Yunus Emre Institute, a multi-purpose hall and a Turkish Corner have been established within the Faculty of Literature at Yarmouk University. These facilities are designed to host interactive training sessions and cultural activities for students and researchers in the Department of Turkish Language and Literature.
The hall, established for academics interested in researching Turkish culture, history and language, is also intended to host cultural activities such as seminars, art workshops, interviews and movie screenings.
The Multi-Purpose Hall is equipped with smart boards, computers, a library, and other educational materials. Additionally, nearly 2,000 Turkish books were provided to the library in the Turkish Corner, which is accessible to all students at the university.
The opening ceremony of the project was attended by Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Amman, Erdem Ozan; Rector of Yarmouk University, Prof. Islam Massad; TİKA’s Amman Program Coordinator, Abdurrahman Soylu; Director of Yunus Emre Institute in Amman, Ensar Fırat; Education Counselor of the Republic of Türkiye in Amman, Hasan Kaleli; as well as university administration, guests and students.
Speaking at the ceremony, Rector of Yarmouk University,Prof. Islam Massad stated that the project, realized by TİKA and the Yunus Emre Institute, will significantly contribute to teaching the Turkish language. Massad expressed his gratitude to Türkiye and emphasized the importance of cooperation in education.
Ambassador Erdem Ozan emphasized that this project, developed with the support of TİKA and the Yunus Emre Institute, will enhance educational and cultural relations between Türkiye and Jordan. Ozan expressed his satisfaction with the interest the Jordanian people and students showed in Turkish culture and language.
Established in 2017, the Department of Turkish Language and Literature at Yarmouk University has 250 students. Additionally, around 200 students from various departments take elective Turkish courses.
Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, during his official visit to Uzbekistan, toured a TİKA project in the historic city of Bukhara.
Accompanied by the Deputy Governor of Bukhara Province, Botirjon Shakhriyorov, Minister Ersoy toured the historic sites of Bukhara and visited the Bukhara Branch of the Entrepreneurial Women’s Association, which was established by TİKA.
The 28th Term AK Party Deputy for Kayseri, Bayar Özsoy and TİKA’s President Serkan Kayalar visited the newly established building of the Entrepreneurial Women’s Association, which was supported by TİKA. In his remarks, Minister Ersoy expressed his happiness to be at the Bukhara Branch of the Entrepreneurial Women’s Association, describing it as one of the finest examples of brotherhood and solidarity that reinforces Türkiye’s strong ties with its friend and sister nation, Uzbekistan.
Ersoy stated that Bukhara, with its deep historical roots and cultural richness, is a shared heritage not only of Uzbekistan but of all humanity. He emphasized that in the new service building of the Bukhara Branch of the Entrepreneurial Women’s Association, entrepreneurial women will bring their handicraft projects to life, showcasing their creativity and determination.
Ersoy expressed that the enduring friendship and brotherhood between Türkiye and Uzbekistan continue to grow stronger each day, both culturally and economically. He stated, “We believe a bright future lies ahead for the relations between our two countries, under the strong leadership of our President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev. We will continue our efforts to develop relations between Uzbekistan and Türkiye across all fields, from education and health to culture and tourism.”
Recalling that more than a thousand projects and activities worth millions of dollars have been carried out in Uzbekistan since 1992 through TİKA, spanning areas such as education, health, agriculture, animal husbandry, cultural contributions, vocational training, the development of administrative and civil infrastructure, and emergency and humanitarian aid, Ersoy said, “We stand firmly with Uzbekistan and we know that Uzbekistan stands firmly with us. We are ready to do our utmost to further strengthen this bridge of brotherhood, friendship and solidarity, which has been established notwithstanding the distances.”
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) organized a training program on “Introduction to Integrated Learning and Teaching Models,” attended by 82 teachers in Zanzibar, Tanzania.
During the training program, participants learned how to apply the Harezmi Education Model, a local and national education framework. They also gained insights into artificial intelligence and robotic coding. The program concluded with product and poster presentations by the participating teachers, making a significant contribution to education in Zanzibar.
At the project exhibition and certificate ceremony held after the training, Asiya Iddi Issa, Director of Secondary Education at the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training of Zanzibar, expressed her gratitude to TİKA and emphasized the value of such training programs for the development of students.
The Turkish Ambassador to Tanzania, Dr. Mehmet Güllüoğlu, highlighted the importance of educational cooperation between the two countries and discussed the positive impact of such programs on Tanzania’s education system.
Tanzanian teachers who participated in the training stated that the Harezmi Education Model significantly contributed to their professional development and would enhance the quality of education. They noted that this model opens new horizons in education by fostering analytical thinking, a collaborative approach and problem-solving skills among students.
The training program, which received extensive coverage in both local and national press in Zanzibar, concluded with a certificate ceremony and a souvenir photo session.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), in collaboration with Mozambique’s State Secretariat for Youth and Employment, established a 100-square-meter Production Greenhouse and a Pepper Sauce Production Workshop in Katembe Province. This initiative aims to promote the cultivation of local Piri Piri Peppers and the production of Piri Piri Sauce.
TİKA, which develops projects to support the production of locally grown Piri Piri Peppers, highly sought after in Mozambique, has constructed a 100-square-meter Piri Piri Pepper Production Greenhouse with a drip irrigation system in Katembe Province, in cooperation with the Mozambique State Secretariat for Youth and Employment. As part of the project, a kitchen workshop for pepper sauce production was also established, and equipment support was provided.
The project implemented by TİKA aims to provide agricultural training on Piri Piri Pepper cultivation to women and young people living in the Katembe region, enabling them to produce the pepper sustainably.
In the first phase, the project is expected to directly benefit 20 women with a production goal of 1,000 bottles of pepper sauce within the first six months.
In cooperation with Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and Islamic Help Türkiye, a Turkish volunteer medical team offered free ENT and general surgery services at Jazeera University Hospital and Mogadishu Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Training and Research Hospital in the capital, Mogadishu.
During the 10-day health camp, the volunteer medical team from Türkiye provided extensive medical support to those in need in the region.
A total of 267 patients were examined, and 87 successful surgical operations were performed. The team addressed serious cases, such as parotid tumors and laryngeal cancer, which could not be treated locally in Somalia, using the facilities of Mogadishu Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Training and Research Hospital. As a result, the patients were able to regain their health. Additionally, both theoretical and practical training were provided to local health workers and medical students throughout the camp.
The event, organized in cooperation with TİKA and Islamic Help Türkiye, aims to strengthen health infrastructure in Mogadishu and enhance public health. Professional medical teams have improved the quality of life for many people by delivering high standards of care in both examinations and surgical procedures.
In cooperation with Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and the Çare Association for Aid and Development, a volunteer medical team from Türkiye, consisting of specialist doctors, nurses and anesthesia technicians, provided free medical examinations and surgeries in Uganda’s Yumbe district.
As part of this initiative, the team conducted health screenings and treated a variety of conditions, including eye diseases, malnutrition, infections and other health issues.
In total, 170 cataract surgeries and 190 general surgery procedures were performed, while 1,600 individuals received outpatient care. Additionally, training sessions were held for local healthcare workers.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) supplied fishing equipment to local fishermen in Sierra Leone.
Fishing equipment was distributed to local fishermen through the Ministry of Youth Affairs of Sierra Leone and the Sierra Leone Artisanal Fishermen Union, which serves the community.
Illegal fishing in Sierra Leone’s waters, which are home to many fish species, leads to a loss of around USD 25 million to the country’s economy annually. To support the government’s programs aimed at preventing poaching and empowering youth, various equipment was provided for use in ministry-owned boats and for coastal fishing.
The fishing sector, which generates an economy of USD 735 million, accounts for 12% of Sierra Leone’s gross domestic product and employs around 600,000 people—approximately 15% of the population. In the country where 200,000 people are directly involved in fishing, artisanal methods are predominantly used. With the materials provided, fishermen were able to adopt more modern techniques. Following TİKA’s support, approximately 5-6 tons of fish are caught weekly during the fishing season.
Mohamed Orman Bangura, the Minister of Youth Affairs of Sierra Leone, acknowledged TİKA’s ongoing efforts for the youth in Sierra Leone, noting that these contributions have been recognized and appreciated across various platforms. He also thanked the Turkish Embassy in Freetown, TİKA’s Guinea Office and everyone involved in providing the support.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), in cooperation with Guinea’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, provided equipment to farmers in the city of Faranah to enhance agricultural mechanization.
In Guinea, where 67% of the population is involved in agriculture and the sector represents 52% of the total workforce, crop yields from traditional farming methods are significantly lower compared to mechanized agriculture.
As part of the country’s 20-year initiative under the 2040 National Rural Development Program, agricultural equipment aimed at enhancing mechanization was distributed to local farmers in Faranah. This initiative, carried out in cooperation with the Faranah Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Guinea, aligns with the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals of “Decent Work and Economic Growth” and “No Poverty”. The program aims to reduce rural unemployment, boost the national economy and bring agriculturally viable lands into productive use.
To promote agricultural mechanization and convert uncultivated lands for farming in the city, approximately 500 km from the capital Conakry, the project aims to cultivate 10 hectares of land in the initial phase and gradually prepare a total of 60 hectares for agriculture by adding 10 hectares at each subsequent stage.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) inaugurated a Honey Production and Packaging Facility in Kaćuni, located in the Busovača region of the capital, Sarajevo.
In cooperation with TİKA and the Kaćuni Beekeepers’ Association, a 300 m² production facility was built on a 1000 m² plot of land. This facility aims to support the processing and marketing of honey and honey products from 13 associations operating in the region.
The opening ceremony was attended by Türkiye’s Ambassador to Sarajevo, Sadık Babür Girgin; TİKA’s President, Serkan Kayalar; Prime Minister of Central Bosnia Canton, Tahir Lendo; Mayor of Busovača, Asim Mekić, as well as local beekeepers. During the event, the first production was symbolically initiated.
In his opening speech, Mr. Kayalar highlighted that TİKA’s beekeeping initiatives in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which began 15 years ago by providing 700 beehives to 35 families in Busovača, have since expanded through various training and support projects. These efforts have now culminated in the establishment of a modern facility, fully constructed and equipped by TİKA.
In his speech, Ambassador Girgin remarked that TİKA has extended Türkiye’s hand of friendship through its initiatives in Bosnia and Herzegovina, having completed nearly 1,100 projects to date. He expressed his hope that the success of this project would bring prosperity to the entire country.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Lendo expressed his gratitude for the support provided by TİKA, noting that they have seen the impact of TİKA’s projects throughout many parts of the canton, which lies in the heart of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The project aimed to support agricultural development by helping hundreds of producer families in the region generate income from the honey they produce.
With a daily processing capacity of 2.5 tons, the facility will be able to handle 40% of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s annual honey production.
The memory of late Ambassador Şükrü Tufan honored at TİKA Sarajevo PCO Building
To honor the memory of Şükrü Tufan, who served as Türkiye’s Ambassador to Sarajevo during the Bosnian War and passed away on April 30, a commemorative plaque was placed on the former embassy building in Sarajevo.
Ambassador Korkut Tufan, the son of the late Ambassador, along with TİKA President Serkan Kayalar; Türkiye’s Ambassador to Sarajevo, Sadık Babür Girgin; and TİKA’s Coordinator in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Erdinç Işık attended the ceremony. The event was held at TİKA’s Sarajevo Program Coordination Office (PCO) building, where Şükrü Tufan served as Ambassador to Sarajevo from 1993 to 1996.
Korkut Tufan told reporters that his father was the first ambassador appointed to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
He explained that during the war, the embassy was initially based in Zagreb, Croatia’s capital. “When it became clear that the war would not end soon, my father insisted saying, ‘I cannot leave my Bosnian brothers alone,’ and opened the embassy in Sarajevo during the war. This was not only the first Turkish embassy but also the first embassy ever that is established in Sarajevo. At that time, my mother accompanied him, and they spent those difficult days here, sharing in the struggles with their Bosnian brothers.”
TİKA President Kayalar remarked that it was a very special and emotional day for them. He noted that the late Ambassador Şükrü Tufan had established a special place in everyone’s hearts stating, “He holds a very special place for the people of Sarajevo and our Bosnian brothers and sisters. During the siege of Sarajevo and its most challenging times, our late ambassador and his wife served here on behalf of our country. Beyond fulfilling a mission, they formed a unique and profound bond with our Bosnian brothers and sisters. Although we lost him last April, we will continue to honor his memory in this building where he served.”
Kayalar also announced that the laboratory, which TİKA will soon open at Sarajevo University, will be named in honor of Şükrü Tufan.
The late Ambassador Şükrü Tufan is recognized as the only ambassador who remained in Sarajevo during the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
With the support of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), the “After-School Sports Development Project” was implemented in Palestine to promote the social and physical development of children.
Within the scope of the “After-School Sports Development Project for Children,” implemented in cooperation with TİKA and the Palestine Association for Children’s Encouragement of Sports (PACES), sports training was provided to 900 disadvantaged children in the West Bank to support their social and physical development.
PACES, a non-governmental organization founded in 2006, aims to provide after-school sports programs for children aged 8-16 living in refugee camps and poor areas in Palestine, Jordan and Lebanon. To date, it has managed to reached more than 30,000 children.
As part of the project supported by TİKA, children received football and basketball training through local sports clubs. Sports equipment was provided by TİKA, aiming to help children utilize their free time in a healthy way, support their physical and social development and stay away from bad habits.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has installed a drinking water purification system for the Barrancón Indigenous People living in La Guajira, a dry desert region of Colombia.
The project, which provides access to clean water for 60 families in the Barrancón region, was inaugurated with the participation of Beste Pehlivan Sun, Turkish Ambassador to Colombia; Eleonora Betancur González, Director General of the Presidential Agency for International Cooperation of Colombia (APC-Colombia); Vicente Berardinelli Carrillo, Mayor of Barrancas; Carlos Arturo Robles Julio, Rector of La Guajira University; TİKA officials and local residents.
Speaking at the ceremony, APC-Colombia Director General Betancur stated that TİKA has consistently carried out projects that directly benefit vulnerable groups in Colombia. She said, “With this project, TİKA has once again demonstrated its commitment to addressing our country’s priorities and the needs of indigenous communities. Such cooperation brings our countries closer together and strengthens our ties.”
Mayor Berardinelli of Barrancas and Rector Robles of the University of La Guajira highlighted the severe infrastructure deficiencies in the region regarding access to water and expressed their gratitude to Türkiye.
500 liters of water per hour to be purified
The ceremony began with performances by local children, followed by speeches and a tour of the water purification facility and the Wotkasainru Ethno-Education Center. The system, which has a water purification capacity of 500 liters per hour, aims to prevent epidemics by providing clean water to the entire population in the region and especially to the Wotkasainru Ethno-Education Center, which serves 53 students.
About La Guajira
Due to the desert climate and lack of resources in La Guajira, which borders Venezuela, the region faces significant challenges in accessing clean water. Local communities often travel long distances to reach water sources, which leads to epidemics and food insecurity.
This project in La Guajira serves as a model for international initiatives in the region. Access to clean water, a key focus of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 6, is essential for improving the living standards of communities in desert conditions.
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) delivered a vehicle to the Mountain Rescue Service of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (GSS FBiH) for use in search and rescue operations.
The delivery ceremony was attended by TİKA President, Serkan Kayalar; Turkish Ambassador to Sarajevo, Sadık Babür Girgin; Head of the Turkish Delegation in the European Union Peacekeeping Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Staff Colonel Ahmet Kösem; TİKA’s Coordinator in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Erdinç Işık and GSS FBiH volunteers.
In his statement, Kayalar expressed happiness at being in Bosnia and Herzegovina and having the long-standing collaboration with GSS FBiH.
Kayalar stated that TİKA had previously supported GSS FBiH with equipment and supplies and added:
“This year, we delivered a vehicle to the volunteers to be used in search and rescue activities. These projects are life-saving and meaningful. Our past collaborations have been particularly instrumental, as demonstrated during the February 6 earthquakes when many teams from Bosnia and Herzegovina, including GSS FBiH, traveled to Türkiye. We are deeply grateful for their selfless efforts to save our lives.”
Kayalar stated that they have taken a step to further increase the capacity of GSS FBiH and that they will continue their cooperation in the future.
As part of his visit to Sarajevo, Kayalar met with Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Foreign Minister Elmedin Konaković and Enes Ljevaković, Vice President of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Ambassador Girgin accompanied Kayalar on his visit to the Kovači Martyrs’ Cemetery, where the grave of Alija Izetbegović, the first President of Bosnia and Herzegovina, is also located.
