Türkiye's ambassadors to African countries visit African House

Türkiye's ambassadors to Africa who gathered in the Turkish capital, Ankara, for the Ambassadors' Conference found time to visit the African House that houses handicrafts made by women from 41 different African countries.

The House was established in 2016 under the auspices of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's wife Emine Erdoğan and is one of the best examples of Turkey's cultural diplomacy, said Zeliha Sağlam, chairman of the board of the African Culture House.

The envoys were taken on a tour of the venue by Sağlam, who also shared information about the workings of the house including its cooperation agreements with various institutions, including the African Union.

“We are really present in many fields and we carry out a very meaningful cooperation in every field, mutually, by talking to every country and with our joint decisions," said Sağlam.

Officials also stressed that Türkiye’s engagement in Africa goes beyond diplomatic missions, with cooperation carried out through institutions such as the Türkiye Maarif Foundation, TİKA, the Yunus Emre Institute, Anadolu Agency and Turkish Airlines.

Speaking at the event, Türkiye’s ambassador to Senegal, Nur Sağman, said Ankara’s partnership with African countries is based on dialogue and joint cooperation, noting that a TİKA-backed education centre established in Senegal in cooperation with the African House is contributing to the education of thousands of students.

Türkiye’s ambassador to Algeria, Muhammet Mücahit Küçükyılmaz said Türkiye approaches Africa from a humanitarian perspective rather than an imperial one, adding that Ankara’s Africa policy, shaped during President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s tenure as prime minister, reflects a long-term strategic engagement with the continent.