25 Oct 2023

Turkiye Republic will celebrate the 100th year of its establishment on October 29 and the Embassy of Turkiye in Botswana will commemorate the day on October 30.

As a build up to the 100th anniversary, the Embassy of Turkiye in Botswana has held a series of social and cultural activities in Gaborone such as a fashion show, which showcased Turkish traditional dresses using local models.

“It also brought cultures of different countries together. We had Emmanuel Kayenda designing a gown infusing Turkish and Botswana garments,” said Turkish Ambassador, Ahmet Idem Akay in an interview with BOPA.

While Botswana and Turkiye established bilateral relations in 1981, Turkiye’s resident embassy was established in Gaborone in 2014.

Ambassador Akay said his government has a multidimensional policy where they encourage interaction of people.

“Our Embassy in Gaborone increases people to people and trade relations between the two countries as both countries do not know much about each other,” he said.

Akay pointed out that Turkiye recently held a Turkish-Africa Business and Economic Forum in Istanbul, which attracted over 22 countries including Botswana.

“We had a few members of the Botswana business community who participated at the forum. Although it is a small step, it is a positive development on strengthening our relations further,” he said.

Akay indicated that Turkiye has provided three scholarships to Batswana who are currently pursuing graduate studies, as well as other students from Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN) who went to study in one of the cities in Turkiye affected by a recent earthquake.

He said the two countries have a Joint Cooperation Committee, whose task is to constantly explore further areas of cooperation between the two.

Akay disclosed that areas of cooperation to be discussed include textile, energy, trade, culture and tourism.

Also, he said the two countries could benefit from each other through exchange programmes, exchange visits, and trainings. ENDS