Bilateral relations are essential diplomatic ties between two countries, shaping their political, economic, and cultural interactions. These relationships facilitate trade, foster peace, and encourage mutual understanding on a global scale.
For decades now, The Gambia and Turkiye have had their relations flourished under successive regimes in both Ankara and Banjul culminating in tangible technical and capacity building corporations that cuts across different sectors and a huge rise in trade between the two countries .
The ambassador of Turkiye in The Gambia on Monday hosted a media breakfast briefing to highlight key activities undertaken by the government of Turkiye in Gambia under the two countries’ bilateral relations.
Ambassador Tucker OBA, flanked by his staff and other Turkish officials, disclosed a whopping D24M intervention in 16 projects under the T?KA (Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency) among others.
Excerpts of the ambassador’s deliberations are summarised below:
TiKA (Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency)
16 projects worth 24,665,400 Dalasi (347.400 Dollars) have been undertaken in 2024
1) Equipment support to GRTS before OIC Summit, worth 1,917,000 Dalasi (27,000 Dollars)
2) Airport Landscaping Project for the Banjul Airport Police Unit at Banjul Airport worth 1,491,000 Dalasi (21,000 Dollars)
3) Equipment support to GAFTS worth 1,065,000 Dalasi (15,000 Dollars)
4) Reducing mother-infant mortality project phase I worth 497,000 Dalasi (7,000 Dollars)
5) Reducing mother-infant mortality project phase II worth 1917,000 Dalasi (27,000 Dollars)
6) Reducing mother-infant mortality project phase III worth 5,254,000 Dalasi (74,000 Dollars)
7) Iftar program at Gambian Supreme Islamic Council worth 170,400 Dalasi (2,400 Dollars)
8) Brikama Area Council – BAC waste project – worth 1,207,000 Dalasi (17,000 Dollars)
9) Equipment donation to Kanilai TVAC Center (USET) worth 2,059,000 Dalasi (29,000 Dollars)
10) Extansion of green area in UTG Faraba Banta Campus worth 106,500 Dalasi (1,500 Dollars)
11) Support to women garden-Pirang Village worth 2,343,000 Dalasi (33,000 Dollars)
12) Building of a market and 16 Vending Stalls for women at Banjulinding Village (Brikama Road) worth 2,343,000 Dalasi (33,000 Dollars)
13) Equipment support for the National Record Service worth 852,000 Dalasi (12,000 Dollars)
14) Capacity building training in Ankara for High Court Judges and Magistrates worth 1,775,000 Dalasi (25,000 Dollars)
15) Travel support for Gambian Team to robot competition in Erzurum worth 532,500 Dalasi (7,500 Dollars)
16) Equipment support for the Tanka Tanka Psychatric Hospital worth 1,136,000 Dalasi (16,000 Dollars) / Ready will soon be delivered to The Gambian authorities. ***
Internal affairs counsellor-Ministry of Interior
Turkish Gendarmerie:
1) Training – OIC Summit preparations for 189 security officers (December 2023-March 2024)
2) Scholarship for 7 GPF members in Türkiye at Gendarmerie and Coast Guard Academy
3) Equipment support to GPF: 3 drones and security equipment
4) Riot gear for 50 personnel worth 1,100,500 Dalasi (15,550 Dollars)/ will soon arrive to The Gambia
Turkish Police Force:
5) Scholarship for 9 GPF members at Türkiye’s Police Academy (academic year 2023-2024)
6) Scholarship for 7 GPF members at Türkiye’s Police Academy (academic year 2024-2025)
7) Equipment support for GPF worth 17,750,000 Dalasi (250,000 Dollars)
8) Vehicle donation: 2 ambulances and 2 fire trucks worth 16,500,000 Dalasi (232395 Dollars) / ***Will be handed over soon to The Gambian Authorities-arrived in The Gambia.
Maarif school – The Gambia
-Established in 2017.
-302 students this academic year.
-First graduate in 2022. In total 42 graduates – 13 continuing their studies with Türkiye Scholarships (public) in different cities.
Yunus emre institute (cultural center)
-Yunus Emre Institute will be operational in 2025 in The Gambia.
-Country Director and Lecturer are on the field working on the last details.
-…..
-Yunus Emre Institute will be organizing Turkish language classes in UTG.
Scholarships
Türkiye scholarships
-205 scholarships awarded with state scholarships in the 2005 – 2023 period.
-24 scholarships awarded in 2024
-Online application system for Türkiye Scholarship -2025-2026 academic year will soon be operational (January 10 to February 20). Please follow our official social media pages for additional information (Facebook, Instagram, X)
Diyanet foundation scholarships
-118 scholarships awarded by Diyanet Foundation in the 2007-2024 period.
-27 scholarships awarded in 2024
-200 cattles during Tobaski
-Food packages donated during Ramadan to 500 families.
-3 boreholes (12 more designated for the years 2025 and 2026)
-35 cattles for Aqiqah
HIGHER EDUCATION COUNCIL SCHOLARSHIPS (YÖK)
-6 scholarships awarded by YÖK in agriculture and fisheries for graduate studies.
Turkish republic of Northern Cyprus scholarships
-An important number of Gambians are following their undergraduate-graduate studies in TRNC.
Bilateral trade
2024
-First 11 months of 2024 (January-November):
*Exports to The Gambia: 73.95 million Dollars
*?mports from The Gambia: 7.04 million Dollars
Trade Volume for first 11 months of 2024: 80.99 million Dollars
Compared to 2023
-First 11 months of 2023 (January-November):
*Exports to The Gambia: 68.2 million Dollars
*?mports from The Gambia: 7 million Dollars
Trade Volume for first 11 months of 2023: 75.2 million Dollars
