Turkish state aid agency, TİKA. hosts iftar program at Royal Palace in Uganda cementing cultural ties

By Hamza Kyeyune,

KAMPALA, Uganda (AA) - Turkish state aid agency, TİKA, hosted more than 1,000 guests Saturday at an iftar dinner and distributed food aid packages in partnership with the Keşkül Association, a Turkish NGO, at the Royal Palace of Busoga kingdom in eastern Uganda.

The iftar, or fast-breaking meal, was graced by the king of Busoga, William Gabula Nadiope IV and the Turkish ambassador Faith Ak, among others.

Nadiope thanked guests for turning up in large numbers and encouraged the people of Busoga to utilize the rainy season to plant crops to harvest enough food.

He welcomed Ak and expressed his wish that friendship and multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries continue.

First Deputy Prime Minister Rebecca Kadaga, who also serves as the Minister for East African Community Affairs, hailed Türkiye as an important and true friend.

“Our gathering here today is not sudden, but a continuation of friendship and love we have built over time, between the people of Turkey and Uganda,” she said,

She said ties with Türkiye continued to grow as economic and social relations have scaled up.

Ak said developing relations is essential for shared prosperity.

“We have a constructive, warm relationship with the government of Uganda. I want to thank our president, his Excellency President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Without their leadership and firm efforts, we would not be able to reach the current excellent level of our bilateral relations,” he said.

He underscored the Turkish government’s readiness to continue good relations and a provision of full support through TIKA to further develop relations.

“TİKA has been doing a great job concerning development assistance. They have completed more than 70 projects in Uganda in various fields so far, and currently, they are working on new ones,” he noted.

“Our support for Uganda's development is not limited to TIKA. Various Turkish NGOs have been active in Uganda for a long time, and their work has been welcomed and appreciated in almost all corners of Uganda,” he said.

Ak added that both countries hold much potential for cooperation in trade, education and tourism.

The mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Shaban Mubaje, said the monarch of Busoga has promoted unity, peace and development in the region.

Mubaje also hailed ties between Uganda and Türkiye.

Abdu Salaam Wamimbi, advisor to the mufti on international relations, hailed Türkiye for a scholarship program provided by the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) as a good opportunity for international students who want to study abroad.

The Türkiye Scholarships program, also known as Türkiye Burslari, offers a range of programs for undergraduate, graduate, research and language education opportunities in Türkiye's most prestigious universities for international students and researchers.

The event was attended by the TIKA coordinator to Uganda, Omer Aykon, Turkish Airlines manager to Uganda Ali Ozdemir, rector of the Islamic University in Uganda, professor Ismail Simbwa Jagenda, and others.