In a significant development aimed at bolstering social protection and disaster response initiatives, the Turkish government is set to forge a strategic partnership with Nigeria’s Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. This announcement came during a recent courtesy visit by the Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Hidayet Bayraktar, to Dr. Betta Edu, the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, at her office in Abuja.
Ambassador Bayraktar underscored the importance of collaboration between the two nations in addressing humanitarian crises, emergency responses, and the establishment of infrastructures for poverty eradication. Recognizing Nigeria as a rising star in Africa, the ambassador highlighted the robust relationship between Turkey and Nigeria and proposed the signing of two crucial agreements early next year.
The first agreement, focused on development cooperation, aims to facilitate sustainable development projects in Nigeria. The second agreement will address humanitarian disaster management, involving collaboration between the Turkish Disaster Management Authority and Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). This collaborative effort is expected to significantly enhance response capabilities in the face of natural disasters, such as floods.
“We want to have two agreements to be signed very early next year, one on the development cooperation area and the other one on the humanitarian disaster area, which will also involve the Turkish disaster management authority and NEMA of Nigeria. This will tremendously help, especially in the areas of floods or natural disasters,” stated Ambassador Bayraktar.
In response, Minister Edu expressed gratitude for the proposed partnership, emphasizing the potential benefits for both countries. She highlighted the comprehensive nature of the Turkish Development Cooperation, which is expected to contribute to social protection, education, healthcare, and other critical areas in Nigeria.
“We are grateful to the Turkish Ambassador and his team for this partnership. We have spoken very elaborately on the Turkish Development Cooperation, which would help partner with the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation to see how they can invest in social protection, support education, promote health and other social protection factors in the country,” said Minister Edu.
The minister disclosed plans to sign the agreements in early January after completing all necessary documentation. She further revealed the Turkish government’s intention to establish an office for the Turkish Development Cooperation in Nigeria, facilitating direct collaboration with various states through the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
“We are very positive that very early next year in January, we can get all of these signed both in Turkey and back in Nigeria, and we can begin immediate implementation. This will help us to tackle humanitarian crises well as well as grapple with emergency responses and tackle poverty through the various development cooperation initiatives that we will be working on with the ministry,” Minister Edu affirmed.
Accompanying Ambassador Bayraktar during the visit was Imdat Karakoram, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Republic of Turkey. The impending agreements signify a milestone in international cooperation, demonstrating a shared commitment to addressing social challenges and enhancing disaster response capabilities.
