Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency
The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (Turkish: Türk İşbirliği ve Koordinasyon İdaresi Başkanlığı, TİKA) is a government department of the Prime Ministry of Turkey. TİKA is responsible for organization of the bulk of Turkey's official development assistance to developing countries, with a particular focus on Turkic countries and communities.
| Türk İşbirliği ve Koordinasyon Ajansı | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1992 |
| Headquarters | Ankara, Turkey |
| Employees | 760 |
| Annual budget | 383,000,000 TL (2015) |
| Agency executive |
|
| Parent department | Prime Ministry of Turkey |
| Website | http://www.tika.gov.tr/en |
Mission
TIKA's objectives can be summarized as;[1]
- Assist in the development of Turkic countries and communities.
- Develop economic, commercial, technical, social, cultural and educational cooperation among Turkic countries and communities.
- Engage in social and cultural projects and activities aimed at preserving common cultural, social heritage and values among Turkic countries and communities.
- Provide scholarships and assistance to public officials and other individuals from such countries for education and training in Turkey.
- Provide technical assistance and humanitarian aid.
- Act as the main facilitator for cooperation among Turkic state institutions and organisations, universities, non-profit organisations and the private sector
- Cooperate with other International aid agencies through various project and programmes.
History
With the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, Turkic countries in Central Asia gained their independence (Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan).
This paved the way for the resurgence of dual relations between Turkey and these countries. Sharing a common language, history, culture and ethnicity with these countries, developing these relations has been a permanent focus for Turkey. There was a need to establish an organization in order to fund, develop and coordinate activities and projects in a variety of different fields. The Turkish Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA) in 1992 was established for this purpose.
Early years 1992–2000
TIKA Programme Coordination offices were set up in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Numerous projects in the fields of education, agriculture, industry and finance were undertaken. The main focus in these early years was on educational and social projects in Central Asia such as the construction of schools, universities, libraries and providing scholarships to students and public officials to study in Turkey.[2]
Expansion 2000–2010
In this era, TIKA was developed to become an integral part of Turkish Foreign Policy.[1] Its activity area was enlarged to encompass the Middle East, Africa and the Balkans. The number of programme coordination offices more than doubled from 12 offices in 2002 to 28 in 2010.[2] Focus began to shift from direct aid provision to technical assistance, institutional capacity building and human development activities. More than 100 projects were implemented in 25 countries in 2010.[3]
By the end of the decade, the destination of the majority of aid and assistance had shifted from Turkic countries to Africa.[3] During this decade, development aid provided by Turkey reached US$1.273 billion.[2]
After 2010
As of 2015, TIKA has programme coordination offices in 42 countries.[4] During this period, activities have been expanded into Latin America as well as the wider Asian region.
Top aid destinations have been Tunisia, Somalia, Afghanistan, Chad, Macedonia and Kyrgyzstan.[4]
Activities and projects in 2015 included[4]
- Training of 522 doctors, nurses and midwives in Azerbaijan to combat infant mortality
- Provision of simultaneous translation equipment to an academy in Kazakhstan
- The refurbishment of the Tashkent Turkish Elementary School in Uzbekistan
- Provision of necessary medical staff and resources for the reconstructive plastic surgery of 580 patients in Uzbekistan
- Renovation of the Ottoman built Ferhadiye mosque (1579) in Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Refurbishment of the Motrat Qiriazi school in Prizren, Kosovo
- Refurbishment of the Mustafa Kemal Atatürk school in Macedonia
- Provision of medical equipment and medicines to the Gaza Strip
- Provision of a clean water supply system to the Chatanga village in Gabon
- Refurbishment of a safe house for women fleeing abuse in Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Reconstruction and refurbishment of a 7000-capacity high school in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan
- Construction of a 185-capacity school in Kampong Cham Province, Cambodia
- Reconstruction and refurbishment of a school in Khövsgöl Province, Mongolia
- Provision of 40 computers for the Mustafa Kemal Atatürk high school in Santiago, Chile
- Training for the police forces of numerous countries including Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia and Tunisia
- Training medical staff in The Gambia
References
- 1 2 "TIKA Annual Report 2013" (PDF). Retrieved 03/05/2016. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - 1 2 3 "About Us - TİKA". www.tika.gov.tr. Retrieved 2016-05-03.
- 1 2 "TIKA Annual Report 2010" (PDF).
- 1 2 3 "TIKA Annual Report 2015" (PDF).