Türkiye's flagship development agency, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) expands its outreach in Uganda and has boosted its humanitarian activities in the East African country.
The organization has helped hundreds of people through its outstanding development and improvement projects in health and education, opening up economic prospects and aiding in the fight against poverty. Nearly 17 projects have already been carried out in Uganda's central, northern and eastern regions this year alone.
Outlining the work in the country, TIKA's country coordinator for Uganda, Ömer Aykon, said, "Türkiye offers its helping hand in terms of humanitarian aid and development, particularly in the fields of health, agriculture and education, and we continue to address competing humanitarian demands. Our nation aspires to share its knowledge, progress and experience in order to contribute significantly to the development of other nations."
According to Aykon, the state aid organization has expanded the scope of its work in its diverse development activities in 170 countries through its 62 offices spread across 60 nations and five continents.
"It is remarkable how Türkiye has advanced to the point where it gives rather than receives. It's also vital to keep in mind that Africa as a whole has become a multipolar region, and new nations are competing for the geopolitical clout that colonialists once held. This has been recognized by Türkiye, which has created a number of soft power tools and TIKA being one of them that has established itself firmly on the continent," said university lecturer and professor Adam Sebyala.
TIKA has opened 22 offices throughout Africa and 1,884 projects supporting the continent's development, welfare and peace have been carried out over the past five years.
Nusura Tiperu, the Ugandan ambassador to Türkiye, said, "We look forward to establishing further cooperation opportunities with Uganda to promote priorities specific to the country, as indicated by the government."
The support of farmers in drought-prone areas with irrigation and water storage facilities and the provision of hot oil pressing machines to shea nut farmers, health training tools to nurses and midwives, and media equipment and assistive devices to people with disabilities were among the projects carried out this year in Uganda, as well as iftar events and training for imams in Konya.
"I haven't faced any obstacles, but I'm still ready for the worst. Because I am familiar with African dynamics, particularly Ugandan dynamics, I adjust my expectations as needed. Complaining never gets you where you want to go," said Aykon.
When questioned about the difficulties he had to overcome in the course of performing his duties in Uganda, the TIKA official responded, "If you cannot do what you like, like what you do."
