Türkiye is confident that Sudan's leadership will be able to overcome the current political crisis and reach a consensus that leads to the formation of a new government, Ankara's ambassador to Khartoum said on Thursday.
In a meeting, Irfan Neziroğlu told Ali al-Sadiq, Sudan's foreign minister-designate, that Ankara remains keen on enhancing political and economic relations with Khartoum, according to a statement by the Sudanese Foreign Ministry.
Al-Sadiq hailed the "depth of relations between the two countries" and emphasized the "need for concerted efforts to advance them in a manner that achieves common interests," the statement added.
Sudan has been in turmoil since last October when the military dismissed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok's transitional government and declared a state of emergency.
Prior to the military takeover, Sudan was governed by a sovereign council of military and civilian officials tasked with overseeing the transition period until elections in 2023.
Hamdok was reinstated a month later following an agreement, but protesters denounced the deal, insisting on the removal of any military influence over the transitional governing coalition.
He resigned this January, citing a political deadlock.
Türkiye was among the first countries, which recognized Sudan’s independence and opened an embassy in Khartoum just after its independence in 1956. With long and deep-rooted historical, religious and cultural ties, Sudan remains one of the most important partners of Türkiye in Africa. Reciprocal high-level visits and various cooperation agreements have ensured the steady development of bilateral relations in different fields.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Sudan on Dec. 24-26, 2017, marked a historical landmark in the relations between the two countries. During this visit, 12 agreements (including protocols and MoUs) were signed, including the declaration on the establishment of a High-Level Strategic Cooperation mechanism.
The Turkish International Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) and Turkish NGOs have been carrying out both development and humanitarian projects in Sudan along with emergency humanitarian assistance for local communities, in close cooperation and coordination with the relevant Sudanese authorities.
Nyala Turkish-Sudanese Research and Training Hospital, constructed by TIKA, started its operations on Feb. 28, 2014. Within the framework of the Türkiye Scholarships program, Türkiye has provided 654 scholarships to Sudanese students since 1992.