Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Burundi
On Monday October 30, 2023, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation Mr. Ferdinand BASHIKAKO joined the Staff of the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye in Burundi and the Turkish people residing in Burundi in the ceremonies of the celebration of the hundredth anniversary of the Turkiye Republic.
In his speech, the Ambassador of Türkiye to Burundi His Excellency ALP IṢKLI affirmed that his country attaches the great importance to peace, stability and economic development, in East Africa in particular, of which Burundi also is included. He specified that his country welcomes the efforts made by Burundi in maintaining peace. He gave the example of the military forces present in Somalia, the Central African Republic, the DRC and elsewhere, with a view to helping to restore stability and peace in these regions. He also noted that cooperative relations characterized the two countries in almost all sectors.
Ambassador ALP IṢKLI also expressed his gratitude to the Government of Burundi for coming to the aid of the victims after the horrible earthquakes of February 6, 2023 which struck several towns in the south of Türkiye. Finally, he hoped that the cooperation relations between Burundi and Turkey would continue to be strengthened in all sectors.
As for the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation, Mr. Ferdinand BASHIKAKO indicated that the Republic built on the rubble of the Ottoman Empire has indeed entered its second century of existence. He took the opportunity, on behalf of the Government of Burundi, to pay the tribute to the valiant and illustrious founder and to all his fellow citizens for having fought with dedication to make the Ottoman lands a Republic and a homeland: “I formulate the same congratulations to the Turkish Government and people on the occasion of this national holiday.”
Mr. Ferdinand BASHIKAKO specified that with regard to the relations established between Burundi and Turkiye, “we are acting in the same vision of revitalizing the growth-promoting sectors, developing the human capital and protecting the environment such as agreed in the Malabo action plan of November 21, 2014, the main pillars of which emerge in the National Development Plan of Burundi 2018-2027.” He spoke in particular about the sectors of agriculture, health, tourism, energy, mines, and infrastructure, industrialization and information and communication technologies. For that purpose, he presented a sense of satisfaction for the interest that the Türkiye authorities have in that type of partnership with Burundi.
He affirmed that Burundi’s wish is that the multidimensional approach engaged within the framework of the partnership between Burundi and Turkey, be more dynamic, more fruitful and more enriching and reflects, for the interest of the two peoples, a common determination to achieve more friendship and solidarity.
He ended his remarks by expressing the pleasure of working with the Embassy to defend and advance the common cause: that of safeguarding peace and national sovereignty and that of the fight for a better world.