ANKARA, Turkey- A top Turkish government official has asked Parliament of Uganda to support Turkey-funded projects in Uganda while addressing Members of Parliament of Uganda who paid a courtesy call on him in Ankara, Turkey.
Mr Falih Mehmet, the Deputy Director-General for Eastern Africa at the Turkey Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said through the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), they have supported a number of community-based projects especially in Kamuli district since 1992.
“As Parliament, we ask you to always strongly support all Turkey-funded projects in Uganda to promote economic and trade relations between the two countries,” he said.
The MPs are in Turkey to attend a one week Uganda – Turkey Business Expo organized by Vijana, a business organization managed by the Ugandan business community-based in Turkey.
“For us to effectively continue doing this for those communities, there is need for Parliament of Uganda to support us through the establishment of inter-parliamentary relations between Turkey and Uganda,” Mehmet added.
Mehmet said that while Turkey and Uganda should be proud of over 50 years of diplomatic ties, there are many business opportunities that both countries can benefit from.
“Through inter-parliamentary relations, there are many opportunities in agro-processing, agriculture, education and health for the people in both countries to benefit from,” he said, adding that, “such relations will work to promote import and export trade between Turkey and Uganda”.
Mehmet said Turkish support in these fields is aimed at skilling the labour force and reducing unemployment in the country.
The meeting was attended by Uganda’s Ambassador to Turkey, Stephen Mubiru, selected members on the Committees on Agriculture, National Economy and Foreign Affairs and more than 30 Ugandan businessmen and women in the areas of agriculture, manufacturing and agro-processing are attending the Expo which closes on 02 August 2019.