Located in northwestern Tunisia, the Bousalem district of Jendouba Governorate is one of the country’s important agricultural and livestock-producing areas, thanks to its fertile agricultural land and abundant water resources.
In addition to wheat, barley, and forage maize production, sheep and cattle farming are widely practiced in the region. However, inadequate modern feed-processing infrastructure and limited local production capacity have increased producers’ dependence on imported feed, raising production costs and reducing the competitiveness of the livestock sector.
Within this framework, TİKA provided a Concentrated Feed Formulation Pilot Unit to the Bousalem Field Crops Sectoral Agricultural Vocational Training Center, operating under the Agricultural Extension and Training Agency (AVFA) of Tunisia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries. As the only public vocational training institution in Tunisia specializing in this field, the center will use the newly established unit to integrate modern agricultural practices such as silage production, baling, and concentrated feed formulation into its training programs, enabling students to apply their theoretical knowledge through hands-on training.
The center, which has approximately 180 hectares of agricultural land for practical training, provides training each year to nearly 200 students enrolled in basic training programs, as well as more than 300 participants in continuing education programs. Through the pilot unit, the center’s training capacity and local feed production infrastructure have been strengthened, with an annual production capacity of approximately 300 tons of dry alfalfa, 150 tons of silage maize, and 200 tons of locally produced concentrated feed. The project is expected to contribute to reducing post-harvest losses and production costs while enhancing the knowledge and practical skills of local farmers and livestock breeders in modern feed production techniques.
TİKA continues to contribute to food security, increased local production capacity, and rural development in Tunisia through projects aimed at strengthening agricultural production and vocational training.
The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has established a Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at the University of the Punjab in Lahore, Pakistan.
Equipped with modern computing and server infrastructure, the laboratory will support AI research that prioritizes human needs and social benefit.
The inauguration at the university’s Faculty of Computing and Information Technology was attended by TİKA Vice President Dr. Ali Ercan, Head of the Personnel and Support Services Department Uğur Vanlıoğlu, Islamabad Programme Coordinator Saliha Tuna, Punjab University Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Mahmood Saleem, Faculty Dean Dr. Shahzad Sarwar, academics and students. Yıldız Technical University (YTU) Rector Prof. Dr. Eyüp Debik and Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Vatan Karakaya joined the ceremony online.
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Ali Ercan highlighted AI’s potential in education, healthcare, research and public services. He emphasized the growing importance of asking whom these technologies serve and how they affect people’s lives. Ercan expressed hope that the laboratory would help young researchers develop both technical expertise and the ability to assess the social impact of the systems they create.
A New Platform for Türkiye–Pakistan Academic Cooperation
Facilitated by TİKA, cooperation between Punjab University and YTU will complement the laboratory’s infrastructure with academic collaboration. The partnership envisages joint research projects, student and faculty exchanges, and the development of joint courses and academic programmes in artificial intelligence.
With remote access available across the university’s campuses, the laboratory provides a shared research platform for students and academics. It aims to support the development of human-centered solutions in fields including healthcare, agriculture, energy, transport and education.
The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) inaugurated the upgraded Teach For Pakistan Training Center in Islamabad on 6 October 2026, supporting the preparation of young teachers serving in public schools in low-income communities.
The project equipped the centre with advanced audiovisual and video conferencing systems, 10 laptops and a 25 kVA solar energy system. These improvements will enable more reliable in-person and online training for approximately 115 teaching fellows and 20 trainers annually, benefiting over 7,000 students through their work in classrooms.
Speaking at the ceremony, Pakistan’s Minister of State for Federal Education and Professional Training, Wajiha Qamar, highlighted the close ties between Pakistan and Türkiye: “We are two countries and one heart.” She thanked TİKA for its support to education in Pakistan, particularly teacher training.
TİKA Vice President Dr. Ali Ercan emphasised that the project’s impact would extend beyond the training centre. “These tools will help prepare young teachers who will take their skills, ideas and commitment into public school classrooms across Pakistan,” he said.
Highlighting teachers’ influence on children’s futures, Ercan added: “A good teacher helps children learn, but also encourages them to ask questions, gain confidence and see new possibilities for their future.”
Teach For Pakistan recruits and trains talented university graduates for a two-year teaching programme in underserved public schools. By strengthening the infrastructure behind this work, the project supports both teacher development and wider access to quality education, carrying Türkiye–Pakistan cooperation forward to the next generation.
The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) inaugurated Pakistan’s first high-tech automatic beeswax foundation sheet production unit at the Honeybee Research Institute (HBRI), National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), in Islamabad on 6 October 2026.
Established with Turkish technology, the unit can produce up to 450 foundation sheets per hour, helping beekeepers access consistent, high-quality materials while reducing production costs. It also enables used beeswax to be processed into new foundation sheets, conserving resources and reducing waste, and supports practical training and research.
Speaking at the ceremony, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain described the facility as “a practical investment in Pakistan’s apiculture sector and in the people whose livelihoods depend on it.” Thanking the Government and people of Türkiye and TİKA, he added: “Today’s project gives practical expression to that friendship.”
TİKA Vice President Dr. Ali Ercan highlighted the partnership with HBRI and beekeeping communities since 2017, spanning training, modern hives, queen bee research and value-added hive products. “Together, they have helped build knowledge, equipment and institutional capacity that can serve Pakistan’s beekeeping sector for years to come,” he said.
Ercan also emphasised the unit’s contribution to sustainability through beeswax reuse and expressed hope that it would encourage more women and young entrepreneurs to consider beekeeping as a viable source of income.
PARC Chairman Dr. Syed Murtaza Hassan Andrabi called the opening “a meaningful day for PARC,” describing the facility as “a practical example of how international cooperation can help local communities through technology.”
Building on nearly a decade of cooperation, the project strengthens local production and research capacity while supporting the livelihoods of beekeepers and rural communities.
The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), in cooperation with the Turkish Red Crescent and the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS), provided a total of 37.5 tonnes of wheat seed and fertilizer to 500 smallholder farming families affected by floods and flash floods in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Under the project, 25 tonnes of certified wheat seed and 12.5 tonnes of DAP fertilizer were delivered to farming families in Ghizer District, Gilgit-Baltistan, and the Neelum Valley in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Each family received 50 kilograms of wheat seed and 25 kilograms of DAP fertilizer.
The distributions were carried out under the field coordination of the Turkish Red Crescent and PRCS (Pakistan Red Crescent Society) across 20 settlements—nine in Ghizer and 11 in the Neelum Valley. Despite the mountainous terrain and challenging access conditions, the teams reached 250 farming families in each region.
The beneficiaries included farmers affected by the major floods of 2025, as well as the smaller-scale floods and flash floods that occurred in 2026, which damaged their farmland, crops and livelihoods. The assistance was designed to help farmers prepare for the new wheat-growing season on time and resume agricultural production.
The project also provided farmers with technical guidance on climate-resilient agricultural practices, disaster-risk reduction and sustainable production methods. In addition to addressing immediate agricultural needs, the project aims to strengthen the resilience of farming families against future climate-related disasters.
As part of the Laos Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Program, carried out in cooperation with the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and the Turkish Neonatology Association, a 14-member Lao health delegation comprising 7 doctors and 7 nurses participated in a comprehensive theoretical and practical training program on neonatal health in Türkiye.
As part of the program, the Lao health delegation received theoretical and practical training under the auspices of the Turkish Neonatology Association. During the continuation of the training, the delegation visited neonatal units at Ankara University, Gazi University and Etlik City Hospital, where they had the opportunity to observe clinical practices on site.
Theoretical and Practical Training in Neonatal Health During the first part of the training program, sessions conducted by the Turkish Neonatology Association covered topics including the initial assessment and examination of newborns, neonatal jaundice and phototherapy, respiratory distress in newborns, non-invasive respiratory support, basic care and feeding of premature infants, and kangaroo care.
Sessions for doctors focused particularly on respiratory distress in newborns and non-invasive respiratory support, while the training for nurses included practical instruction on basic newborn care, temperature control, monitoring, and the care of newborns receiving oxygen and CPAP.
Türkiye’s Experience in Neonatal Health Shared The training program in Türkiye included not only the transfer of theoretical knowledge but also direct observation of clinical practices by healthcare professionals and the examination of neonatal care models at different healthcare institutions.
In this context, Lao healthcare workers observed neonatal intensive care services on site at various healthcare institutions in Türkiye and gained experience in clinical operations, patient monitoring, teamwork, neonatal care practices, and the use of medical devices.
The program aimed not only to improve the professional knowledge and practical capacity of Lao healthcare personnel but also to transfer Türkiye’s knowledge and experience in neonatal health to the Lao healthcare system.
Cooperation Supported by Fieldwork in Laos TİKA’s neonatal health initiatives in Laos are not limited to training conducted in Türkiye. As part of the field component of the program, a neonatal health training program was held at Mahosot Hospital in Vientiane in February 2026, with 51 pediatricians and nurses from 17 provincial hospitals across Laos participating.
The training, conducted by experts from the Turkish Neonatology Association, covered case management, bedside practices in neonatal intensive care units, and the use of medical devices.
As part of the program, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Saravan Provincial Hospital in southern Laos was also renovated, and healthcare personnel received practical training on the use of the newly installed equipment and emergency neonatal care.
During fieldwork carried out in 2026, the Bolikhxamsai and Khamouane Provincial Hospitals were also visited to assess the current condition, human resources, medical capacity, and needs of their neonatal units on site.
From Capacity Building to Sustainable Cooperation The Laos Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Program aims not only to train healthcare personnel but also to expand the training nationwide and build long-term capacity.
Accordingly, work is underway on a “training of trainers” and cascading training model, under which healthcare personnel who have received training will subsequently provide training to other healthcare workers in their own country.
The program also plans to carry out activities aimed at improving neonatal intensive care infrastructure in areas where it is needed, providing medical equipment support, increasing healthcare personnel’s capacity to use and maintain equipment, monitoring maternal and neonatal health data, and strengthening referral mechanisms.
Expansion Across the ASEAN Region Targeted The work carried out in Laos forms part of TİKA’s health cooperation with Southeast Asian countries, as well as its regional cooperation approach within the ASEAN framework.
Certificates Presented
A certificate ceremony was held at TİKA for the Lao health delegation that successfully completed the training program in Türkiye.
Speeches were delivered at the ceremony by Dursun Ali Yaşacan, Head of TİKA’s Department of East and South Asia, the Pacific and Latin America; Prof. Dr. Esin Koç, President of the Turkish Neonatology Association; Prof. Dr. Ömer Erdeve, Coordinator of the Laos Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Program; Program Advisor Prof. Emel Okulu; and Dr. Douangphone Soulivong, an official from the Department of Health and Rehabilitation of the Lao Ministry of Health.
The ceremony highlighted the importance of efforts to strengthen friendship and cooperation in healthcare between Türkiye and Laos, and certificates were presented to the Lao healthcare workers who participated in the training program.
In line with its “People First” approach, TİKA aims to continue its efforts to improve capacity in maternal, newborn and child health in Laos in cooperation with relevant Lao authorities and international organizations.
The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), the University of the Punjab (PU) and Yildiz Technical University (YTU) have signed a tripartite cooperation protocol covering education, research and technology development in the field of human-centred artificial intelligence.
The protocol was signed during the visit of a Turkish higher education delegation to Pakistan, led by the President of Türkiye’s Council of Higher Education (YÖK). The signatories were YTU Rector Prof. Dr. Eyüp Debik, PU Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Mahmood Saleem and TİKA Pakistan Country Coordinator Saliha Tuna.
The protocol provides a framework for the effective and sustainable use of the Human-Centred Artificial Intelligence Laboratory established by TİKA within PU’s Faculty of Engineering through academic and institutional cooperation. Equipped with advanced computing and server infrastructure, the Laboratory is expected to be officially inaugurated in the coming weeks.
Under the cooperation framework, YTU will share educational materials, academic resources and teaching experience relating to human-centred artificial intelligence with PU. It will also support the preparation of PU faculty members who will teach relevant courses and facilitate the development of joint research projects and student and faculty exchange programmes.
Over the next five years, the cooperation aims to produce more than 10 joint academic publications, develop at least five externally funded collaborative projects, support more than 20 PhD and MPhil theses, train over 100 students, researchers and faculty members, and foster at least five innovation or startup initiatives.
Through its remote-access infrastructure, the Laboratory is expected to enable researchers from PU’s different campuses and departments, as well as partner universities in Türkiye and Pakistan, to participate in joint research and educational activities.
The protocol aims to ensure that the technological infrastructure provided by TİKA contributes to long-term academic partnerships between Türkiye and Pakistan, the development of qualified human resources, and innovative solutions addressing societal needs.
Serving a population of approximately one million people in Tunisia’s Cap-Bon region, Mohamed Tahar Maamouri University Hospital plays a critical role as the region’s only specialized orthopedic center. In 2025, the hospital’s orthopedic department conducted more than 25,000 outpatient consultations and provided inpatient treatment to over 4,500 patients. The department’s workload increases significantly during the summer months due to the substantial rise in the regional population driven by tourism, as well as an increase in trauma cases, particularly those resulting from traffic accidents. Insufficient C-arm equipment in the existing operating theatres had been causing delays in surgical procedures and increasing pressure on the orthopedic department.
In response to this need, TİKA provided and delivered a modern surgical C-arm fluoroscopy system to the hospital to strengthen the technical capacity of its orthopedic operating theatre. As one of the essential pieces of equipment in orthopedic and trauma surgery, the C-arm system provides surgeons with real-time imaging during procedures, enabling accurate bone positioning and precise placement of surgical implants. The system is particularly important for minimally invasive surgical procedures, contributing to safer and more effective interventions.
With the newly delivered system now in active use at the hospital, orthopedic surgeries are expected to be performed more efficiently and with reduced waiting times between procedures, while the daily surgical capacity is projected to increase by approximately 20 percent. The project is also expected to ease the burden on the orthopedic department caused by patients awaiting surgery, shorten average hospital stays, and facilitate faster access to both emergency and scheduled surgical interventions. In this way, the project directly contributes to accelerating patients’ treatment processes and improving the efficiency of healthcare services in the region.
TİKA continues to support Tunisia’s healthcare sector through projects aimed at strengthening healthcare infrastructure, increasing treatment capacity, and expanding access to high-quality healthcare services.
Although Laos—classified as a Least Developed Country—has made significant progress over the last decade in reducing neonatal, infant (0–1 year), and under-five mortality rates (which constitute major obstacles to development), current child mortality rates in the country remain above the global average and rank among the highest in Southeast Asia.
TİKA launched the Laos Maternal, Child, and Newborn Health Program in 2026 in collaboration with the Turkish Neonatology Society, the Lao Ministry of Health, and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to share Turkey’s successful experience in reducing child mortality and to develop joint solutions with Laos.
During this second phase of the program—which follows the first phae which took place in February 2026—a delegation of doctors comprising Prof. Dr. Ömer Erdeve (Ankara University Faculty of Medicine), Prof. Dr. Özge Altun (Ege University Faculty of Medicine), and Prof. Dr. İstemi Han Çelik (Ankara Etlik City Health Practice and Research Center) visited Bolikhxamsai Provincial Hospital and Khamouane Provincial Hospital to assess the current capacities and needs of their neonatal units. Additionally, the delegation met with the Lao Ministry of Health and UNFPA to work on a roadmap for enhancing the capacity of the Lao healthcare system—specifically regarding neonatal care—at provincial hospitals outside the capital, Vientiane.
In the first phase of the program, held in February and hosted by Mahosot Hospital in the capital, Vientiane, the aim was to enhance the clinical capacity of healthcare personnel; additionally, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Saravan Provincial Hospital was renovated.
The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (PBM) for the implementation of the “Establishment of a Centralized Kitchen in Rawalpindi Project” aimed at strengthening social infrastructure serving vulnerable communities in Pakistan.
The MoU was signed by Senator Shaheen Khalid Butt, Managing Director of Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal, and Saliha Tuna, Country Head of TİKA Pakistan, in the presence of H.E. Dr. İrfan Neziroğlu, Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Pakistan.
Under the project, TİKA will establish a fully equipped, semi-automated centralized kitchen in the Rawalpindi-Islamabad region with the capacity to prepare up to 15,000 meals per day in accordance with international food hygiene standards. Upon completion, the facility will be handed over to Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal in operational condition and managed sustainably by the institution to provide regular hot meals for orphaned children, low-income families, patient attendants, residents of temporary shelter homes, workers, and other vulnerable groups.
Beyond expanding food assistance services, the project is expected to strengthen Pakistan’s social welfare infrastructure by enhancing its capacity to provide sustainable, hygienic, and uninterrupted meal services. It also aims to improve food security and institutional capacity for delivering assistance to those most in need.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Senator Shaheen Khalid Butt, Managing Director of Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal, described the project as another milestone in the longstanding partnership between PBM and TİKA. He noted that Türkiye’s development cooperation projects across Pakistan stand as tangible examples of the strong brotherly ties between the two countries. Emphasizing that the centralized kitchen will serve up to 15,000 people daily, he thanked the Government and people of Türkiye for their continued support and expressed his hope for further cooperation in the future.
Addressing the ceremony, H.E. Dr. İrfan Neziroğlu, Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Pakistan, underlined that the relationship between Türkiye and Pakistan is built on a unique bond of brotherhood that goes far beyond diplomatic relations. He noted that TİKA has successfully implemented hundreds of development projects across Pakistan over the past sixteen years and reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to supporting Pakistan’s development and further strengthening cooperation between the two countries.
TİKA has made a significant contribution to services infrastructure in a town within Hama district in Syria.
Majority of its inhabitants being of Syrian Turkmen descent, Akrab has a population of approximately 20,000 people living in 13 neighborhoods. The town has 70 main and small streets where electric lighting system had been non-functional as well as the other infrastructure due to the 14-year conflict.
TİKA has provided 200 solar-integrated lighting fixture and had them installed within the framework of “Akrab Town Square and Main Streets Illumination Project” with the aim of contributing to the improvement of life conditions of the residents including social life, public safety and securit.
The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has inaugurated a Mother and Child Healthcare Centre in Raiwind, Lahore, providing accessible primary healthcare services to approximately 15,000 people living in the surrounding communities.
Implemented within the framework of the Year of the Family, declared by the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye in 2025, the project aims to strengthen maternal and child health services while improving access to preventive and community-based healthcare for vulnerable families.
The opening ceremony was attended by the Consul General of the Republic of Türkiye in Lahore, Mehmet Eymen Şimşek, TİKA Pakistan Coordinator Saliha Tuna, President of FACES Pakistan Javaid William, President of Pehchaan Prof. Dr. Naeem Zafar, as well as local leaders and members of the community.
Speaking at the ceremony, Consul General Mehmet Eymen Şimşek welcomed the progress Pakistan has made in reducing maternal and newborn mortality in recent years and emphasized that a healthy future can only be built upon healthy mothers and children. Highlighting the longstanding brotherhood between Türkiye and Pakistan, he noted that Türkiye, through TİKA, will continue supporting development and healthcare initiatives that directly improve people’s lives.
In her remarks, TİKA Pakistan Coordinator Saliha Tuna underlined that the project reflects Türkiye’s people-centred approach to development cooperation. Referring to the Year of the Family, she stated that investing in mothers, children and families means investing in the future of society. She also highlighted that the centre represents a sustainable partnership model, with TİKA establishing the facility, FACES Pakistan undertaking its management, and Pehchaan providing the healthcare professionals required for its operation.
President of FACES Pakistan Javaid William thanked TİKA for its support and stressed that the real owners of the project are the people of Raiwind, as the centre was designed to respond directly to the healthcare needs of the local community.
Unlike large hospitals that mainly provide specialized treatment, community-based primary healthcare centres serve as the first point of contact between families and the health system. In addition to basic medical services, they provide maternal and child follow-up, preventive healthcare, health education, counselling, early diagnosis and timely referrals when advanced treatment is needed.
Strategically located to maximize accessibility, the centre will serve an underserved catchment area where both Muslim and Christian communities live, ensuring that essential healthcare services are available close to home for families who need them most.
The centre itself also reflects a sustainable approach to development. Inspired by traditional local architecture, it was designed as a low-cost, environmentally friendly and climate-responsive facility, combining local building practices with modern healthcare requirements. The design offers a practical and replicable model for community healthcare infrastructure in underserved areas.
