Turkish aid agency holds panel on global outreach

By Nazli Yuzbasi and Baris Seckin

ANKARA

Turkey’s state-run aid agency on Thursday held a panel on international cooperation with relevant Turkish institutions in the capital Ankara.

Attending the panel at the Ankara headquarters of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) were officials of Anadolu Agency, the Turkish Red Crescent, Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD), Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB), the Maarif Foundation, and the Religious Affairs Directorate.

Speaking at the meeting, Faruk Tokat, Anadolu Agency's international news editor-in-chief, said the agency’s news policy is based on humanitarian values.

The international agency publishes news in 13 languages and serves over 2,000 subscribers across 50 countries, and has representatives in 100 countries, he said.

Selim Cerrah, who sits on the Maarif Foundation’s board of trustees, said the education group has officials in 38 countries. The goal of opening schools in 20 countries in its first year was achieved, and the second-year goal is 50 schools, he added.

YTB Vice Chair Huseyin Gundogar said his group is providing scholarships to 16,000 students, adding that Turkey has 6.5 million citizens abroad, and over half of them have the right to vote.

Erkan Doganay of the disaster agency said that since the beginning of the crisis in Syria, Turkey has spent more than $30 billion.

Selim Argun, deputy head of the Religious Affairs Directorate, said they intend to open consultancies in 19 countries.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received TIKA officials on Tuesday in Ankara at the beginning of the meeting.