Turkish agency steps up to green Africa

ANKARA – Anatolia News Agency

Hürriyet Photo

The Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency (TİKA) has stepped up its efforts to green Africa, aiming to fight with desertification and erosion.

TİKA has continued its efforts in Senegal after a pilot project “Turkey-Nigeria Friendship Forest” actualizing by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. TİKA will organize a workshop aiming to resolve drought with the support of international institutions in Senegal between Feb. 24 and 28.

Senegalese Environment and Sustainable Development Ministry, Turkish Forestry and Water Affairs Ministry, African Union Commission (AUC) and The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) support the initiative.

Many academicians and officials from Turkish General Directorate of Combating Desertification and Erosion, General Directorate of Forestry and General Directorate for National Parks will attend the workshop which aims to create a platform for exchanging ideas and experiences on the greening the dry zones.

Turkey has been undertaking several projects for development of Africa since the opening new embassies to developing bilateral political ties with African countries. Turkey increased the number of embassies in Africa to 31 from 12 by the end of 2012.

By stepping the continent in 2005, TIKA launched several projects in different sectors, like education, healthcare, infrastructure, transportation, food, hygiene, agriculture and industry in nearly 30 African countries. TIKA has offices in Senegal, Kenya, Egypt, Tunisia, Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia.