Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) continues to contribute to improving Türkiye - Colombia relations through projects and high-level visits to Colombia. In this context, TIKA Vice President Yorulmaz visited the South American country to attend various openings and conveyed the activities of TIKA to the audience.
TIKA has been representing Türkiye's entrepreneurial and humanitarian diplomacy in Colombia since 2015. Yorulmaz, along with TIKA Bogota Office Coordinator Ersin Çopur, paid a visit to Türkiye's Ambassador to Bogota, Beste Pehlivan Sun and Dr. Öner Buçukcu, Türkiye's Bogota Maarif Foundation representative.
At the opening ceremony, he informed about an important project in the city of Sincelejo, Colombia. The shoe-making workshop with Sincelejo Municipality and Sucre Shoemakers Association is essential for the leather industry because this project will offer employment opportunities to hundreds of families. In addition, the integration of disadvantaged groups into society is ensured.
Yorulmaz stated that since Cartagena is a touristic region, they discussed projects with the authorities for the promotion of Turkish cuisine too.
TIKA started the recycling facility project in the city of Soacha to support 475 families and women who collect plastic and make a living in one of the border areas of Bogota. The project will fulfill crucial tasks in supporting women entrepreneurs and environmental impact.
The commission members who manage the peace process in the presidential palace said that they evaluated the impact of TIKA's agricultural and rural development projects in the region on the peace process.
Saying that they made an important visit to Armenia, one of the important cities of Colombia, and visited the dairy products processing facility established by TIKA and the Quindiana de Atencion Integral Foundation, which is located in the same complex as the facility, where children with special needs receive education. Yorulmaz, who met with the foundation director, Martha Maria Marin, within the scope of the visit, drew attention to the importance of integrating children with special needs into society. Stating that the children who graduated at 18 from the education center established by the foundation are employed at the dairy products processing facility established by TIKA, Yorulmaz emphasized that their cooperation with the foundation will continue.
"They are appreciative of the services, advantages, and improvements TIKA has brought to the bilateral relationship. The emotions that the Soacha recycling project and its recipients gave us are indescribable. We consider it an honor to be present and to fly the Turkish Republic's flag," Yorulmaz said.