29 June 2017•Update: 29 June 2017
By Addis Getachew and Ibrahim Tigli
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia
The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) on Thursday donated office equipment to the Ethiopian Ministry of Women’s and Children’s Affairs.
The handover ceremony was attended by State Minister of Children’s Affairs Alemitu Omot, Turkish Ambassador to Ethiopia and Envoy to the African Union Fatih Ulusoy, TIKA Ethiopia coordinator Fazil Akin Erdogan, and representatives of the beneficiary regional states.
The donation comprises 62 pieces of IT equipment including computer sets, LCD projectors, scanners, and .
State Minister of Children’s Affairs Alemitu Omot said she was delighted to receive the donation for Afar, Benishangul and Gambella regions that are less developed and urged representatives of beneficiary states to make good use of them.
“Women and children are the most deprived sections of society,” she said, adding her ministry has embarked upon projects to improve the lives of women and children in the country.
The donation, according to her, would help the beneficiary regions raise their capacities as they strive to tackle problems facing women and children.
Fazil Erdogan, TIKA Ethiopia coordinator, for his said the future of any society depends on the wellbeing of its women and children.
“Ethiopia and Turkey share very similar family values,” he observed.
Erdogan also proposed to begin an expert exchange program between the Ethiopian Ministry of Women’s and Children’s Affairs and the Turkish Ministry of Family and Social Politics.
“Such exchanges will be a vehicle for Ethiopia and Turkey to share best practices relevant issues,” he said, adding: “TIKA will serve as a bridge.”
Turkish Ambassador Ulusoy also shed light on the Ethiopia-Turkish relations, which he said was “long-standing and deeply friendly”.
Turkey had opened its first embassy in Sub-Saharan Africa in Ethiopia in 1925, while TIKA opened its first office in Africa in in 2005.
