BUJUMBURA, November 12th (ABP) – On Thursday November 7, the Turkish Embassy in Burundi celebrated the 101st anniversary of Turkey’s independence. The celebration was attended by several distinguished guests, including members of parliament, representatives of ministries, representatives of international organizations, and representatives of the diplomatic and consular corps.
The guests followed a speech by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, delivered on that occasion, in which he indicated his ambition, and that of all the Turkish people, to raise Turkey to the level of contemporary civilizations. At the same time, in his address to the nation, he pointed out that a number of problems still needed to be resolved to achieve the radiant future he called “Turkey’s century”. For his part, the Turkish ambassador to Burundi, Sem Alp Isikli, in his speech for the occasion, revealed that relations between Turkey and Africa have gained considerable momentum over the last decade. Turkey is at the side of the African people in their quest for development and prosperity, thanks to its extensive diplomatic representation of 44 embassies across the continent. “We aim to contribute to peace and stability, to the continent’s economic and social development, and to deepen our bilateral relations on the basis of equal partnership and mutual benefit”, he stressed.
Speaking of Burundi, he congratulated the country and President Ndayishimiye on the successful holding of the COMESA summit in Bujumbura at the end of October. Isikli praised Burundi’s efforts to restore peace in Africa by sending contingents of Burundian soldiers and police. In terms of economic relations, the Turkish ambassador to Burundi noted a clear evolution: the volume of bilateral trade has risen from 9 million dollars in 2022 to 13 million dollars in 2023.
On the humanitarian front, Isikli revealed that, since 2008, Turkey has carried out 34 assistance, humanitarian aid and cooperation projects. Recently, he mentioned the arrival, in July 2024, of a team of dentists who provided free dental care for 1,000 patients at the Umugiraneza Polyclinic in Gitega and the Prince Regent Charles Hospital in Bujumbura.
He also mentioned that a Burundian rescue team had intervened in Turkey to help victims of the earthquake that struck the country in 2023. In return, he said, Turkey contributed to the construction of 40 small houses in Mubimbi for victims of natural disasters, and assisted victims of flooding in Gatumba. In the field of education since 1992, he mentioned that 212 Burundian students have studied or are studying at university in Turkey, thanks to scholarships granted by the Turkish government.
For his part, Ferdinand Bashikako, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noted that Turkey had encountered a number of political challenges along the way, and had drawn on many experiences that had helped it to strengthen its institutions.
On the economic front, he pointed out that Turkey has experienced remarkable growth, becoming a major player in the global economy and, in 100 years, one of the world’s emerging powers. Bashikako congratulated the Turkish people on their determination.
With regard to the partnership between Burundi and Turkey, Bashikako expressed his gratitude to the Turkish authorities for their interest in Burundi. He mentioned the 15 agreements and memorandums of understanding signed between Burundi and Turkey, with others under negotiation.
Continuing in that vein, he pointed out that the Burundian government’s wish was for the multi-dimensional approach undertaken in the framework of the 2 countries’ partnership “to be more dynamic, more fruitful and more enriching, and to reflect the common determination to achieve greater friendship and solidarity”.