TİKA Supported Sudan in the Fight against Drug Addiction

The "4th International Conference on Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Challenges" was held in Sudan with the support of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA).

Sudan Social Development Minister Ahmed Adem Bahit, TİKA Khartoum Coordinator Bilal Özden, police officials and representatives from 23 countries attended the program prepared by the local Bit Makali Association at the Friendship Hall in Khartoum.

In his speech at the program, Minister Bahit thanked the guests from different countries and stated that the conference created an environment for sharing knowledge and experience. Bahit stated that they, as the Ministry, support all projects related to the fight against drugs and promised that they will make all the necessary preparations for the hospital that the association wants to build in order to save children and young people from substance abuse.

TİKA Khartoum Coordinator Bilal Özden also said that they supported the projects in the field of economic and social development in the countries where they operate. Underlining that one of the obstacles to social development is drug addiction; and thus, the wastage of human capital, Özden expressed that they have implemented projects to overcome this problem. Özden said, "Thanks to this project, we support the Bit Makali Association in order to reintegrate young people who are addicted to drugs into economic and social life."

Stating that addiction, the causes of drug use, the effects of Covid-19 and ways of treatment will be discussed at the conference, Bit Makali Association President Lubna Ali Abdurrahman emphasized that they implemented the recommendations of the 2nd and 3rd conferences thanks to TİKA.

The young people who recovered from substance abuse, and were given vocational training by the association in the capital Khartoum also got a job thanks to the TİKA's machinery and equipment support.