Turkey, Gambia vow cooperation on women empowerment

By Burcu Calik

ANKARA

Turkey pledged on Tuesday to increase cooperation with Gambia to empower women, the country’s family minister said on Tuesday.

Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya and the Gambian Women’s Affairs Minister Fatoumata Tambajang signed a memorandum of understanding to increase cooperation between the two ministries.

The memorandum aims to combat discrimination and violence against women, and increasing their participation in the workforce.

Kaya said called the memorandum “a new start” in terms of experience sharing between the two countries.

Tambajang underlined the role of women and children, who represent 1.7 million of the country’s total population, in pioneering change in Gambia.

“Our aim is to adopt the best practices for empowering women and girls,” she said.

The Gambian minister praised President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s support to African countries and the African Union.

Kaya thanked Gambia for its support to Turkey in the fight against Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), responsible for orchestrating the failed coup last July.

“Gambia is one of the countries in Africa, which has given the strongest support to our country in its fight against FETO.”

Responding to her, Tambajang said: “We will surely give the support we can [to Turkey] in its fight against FETO because terror is a sickness. If you do not take necessary measures, it will also make you sick one day."

According to the Turkish government, FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.