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Columbus Mabika Herald Reporter
Turkey has reiterated its commitment to supporting Zimbabwe in its quest to become an upper-middle-income economy by year 2030.
Outlining Turkish embassy activities during the just ended Ramadan Muslim fasting period, Turkiye ambassador to Harare Berna Kasnakli Versteden said her nation will continue strengthening its relationship with Zimbabwe in all spheres that will better the two nations in their development quest.
“One of the basic principles of Turkey’s multi-dimensional foreign policy is to develop relations and cooperation with the African Continent through her Africa Partnership Policy. This Policy is the product of an integrated understanding that includes the activities of public institutions, private sector, non-governmental organisations and humanitarian aid organisations,” she said.
“As the Turkish Embassy, it is crucial for us to listen, understand and act in accordance with the development priorities and strategies of the Government of Zimbabwe. To that effect, our doors are open to different stakeholders. In our projects, we take into consideration the Government’s aim in reaching the Sustainable Development Goals through its policies in areas such as National Development Strategy 2021-2025. We will continue to support its implementation through technical assistance.”
Turkey, Ambassador Versteden said, conducts her relations with African countries under the principle of “African solutions for African problems” and based on mutual benefit as well as equal partnership.
She said Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) adheres to this policy, which has seen the organisation forming synergies with state institutions and organisations, universities, non-profit organisations, and the private sector.
TIKA recently donated 20 peanut and maize sheller machines to the Ministry of Youth Development, and Vocational Training under the project of Supporting Vocational and Technical Training Education in the Agricultural Sector.
The machines she said, would help the youth have a first-hand appreciation of value addition.
The opening of a Microbiology Laboratory at Harare Institute of Technology in partnership with TIKA early this month, she said, was a breakthrough in cooperation between the two countries.
The laboratory was equipped with advanced scientific equipment including spectrophotometers, analytical balances, fume cabinets, shaking incubators, refrigerated centrifuges, vortex machines, orbital shakers, and high-resolution optical microscopes.
The lab, she said, was expected to advance training and research in food and beverages as well as pharmaceuticals and cosmetics to improve the competitiveness and value of goods and services that will feed into the national economy.
Ambassador Versteden said a lot of Turkish universities and research institutions had expressed interest in partnering with Zimbabwean institutions.
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