Outgoing Turkish envoy recounts his tenure in Uganda

KAMPALA, Uganda

Outgoing Turkish envoy Fikret Kerem Alp has spent an eventful four-year tour in Uganda that he describes as largely successful.

He said FETO terror group fugitives who fled Türkiye and established a base in Uganda, have been the single biggest challenge throughout his tenure in the East African country.

Shortly after the first-ever presidential visit from Türkiye to Uganda in 2016, when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was preparing to host his Ugandan counterpart in Ankara, Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) orchestrated a defeated military coup that left 251 dead and 2,734 injured in Türkiye.

“Fighting against FETO terrorists, who have also infiltrated offices and operate sham services, has been my biggest challenge, but I paid them back with hard work. They are not yet subdued, but have been largely incapacitated,” he told Anadolu Agency in an exclusive interview.

Turning to trade, the envoy has also been spearheading a major diplomatic and business drive that has seen exports to Türkiye increase by 418% in 2021.

“I carried out my duties with genuine love and affection for this beautiful country of Uganda and its beautiful people. I also carried out my duties with pride as the representative of Türkiye, the largest country in Europe both in population and territory, the only one which has never been occupied, colonized, or divided … since its establishment 99 years ago. I end my tenure with love and pride, and in peace. These values cannot be measured by any numbers or digits,” he said.

Alp said relations between the two brotherly countries have gained momentum in all fields and the trade volume has increased to $71 million in 2021, from $63 million in 2020.

“Uganda is quite fertile and has a lot of natural resources, together with competitive skilled labor. There exist immense economic potentials that are capable of transforming the country into a key investment destination. Our wish is for Uganda to prosper in all spheres of development,” he said.

The Uganda Investments Authority (UIA) offers a raft of incentives to be enjoyed by prospective Turkish investors, including a 10-year tax holiday with a minimum investment of $10 million, free land, and an industrial park. Resources used in industrial training for Ugandans are converted into tax value. And there exists an emerging duty-free African market potential of more than 1 billion people arising from the African continental free trade zone.

The ambassador urged the Turkish community residing in Uganda to conform to societal norms. “They need to have patience. This country doesn’t have to be rushed. Secondly, they should learn to share because Ugandan people are generous, they love to share what they have. Have corporate social responsibility. Don’t target only profits, you have to give back to society,” he said.

Asked if he had advice for the incoming ambassador, Fatih Ak, he said: “He has been the deputy director general for East Africa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and has been my boss. I can only take advice from him.”

Alp said that during his tenure, there has been an increased interest in cooperating on education and several students have been awarded scholarships each year by the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB). Also, some schools, like Tokat Gaziosmanpasa University, have signed memorandums for student exchanges with Uganda institutions of higher learning, and Türkiye’s MAARIF Foundation is also expected to set foot in Uganda.

The diplomat said that although Ankara has succeeded in enhancing ties with Kampala, that development was not his achievement.

“The achievements are not personal but for the whole Turkish embassy team. For the past four years, we have been carrying the flag from our predecessors. We have represented our beautiful country of Türkiye with pride and love for Uganda and its development in terms of business and development,” he said.

He added that Türkiye’s state-run development agency (TIKA) has contributed immensely to supporting the work of the Ugandan government.