The Turkish government has pledged to establish education facilities in all the ten provinces of Zambia.

According to a statement issued by Zambia’s First Secretary to Ethiopia Inutu Mwanza today, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Special Advisor Ambassador Hasan Yavuz told President Edgar Lungu that his government was ready to partner with Zambia in uplifting education when they met at the just ended 29th AU summit for Heads of States and governments.

“During the meeting, President Lungu advised the Turkish delegation to laise with the Zambian Emabssy in Addis on modalities of how and when their commitment to Zambia can be actualized. Ambassador Yavuz, who is also advisor to AU Chairperson Alpha Conde, whose delegation visited the Zambian embassy and held a meeting with Ambassador Susan Sikaneta, said the Turkish government is prepared to build schools and rent buildings in Zambia for education purposes. He said the schools that will be built will be from Kindergarten to secondary school,” Mwanza stated.

She stated that Ambassador Yavuz would lead a delegation to Zambia from 27th to 29th July to discuss modalities with the Ministries of Education, Foreign Affairs and Finance.

“He also expressed the Turkish government’s interest to invest in various areas of the business sector in the country. Ambassador Yavuz cited the construction of hotels and mall as one area that the Turkish government will invest in. He said he will be meeting the ministry of Commerce and Zambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry to discuss the proposal,” Mwanza stated.

She also stated that Ambassador Yavuz asked the Zambian government to allow his government to take over the running of the Turkish school in Kabulonga Area.
“He says the taking over of Turkish schools by the Turkish government is a programme meant to curtail the funding of a group suspected to have been involved in last year’s unrest in Turkey. And Zambia’s ambassador to Ethiopia, Her Excellency Susan Sikaneta welcomed the proposal to construct schools and invest in other business in Zambia. M Sikaneta who is also Zambia’s Permanent Representative to the AU said the construction of hotels was welcome as it would help attract tourism in Zambia,” stated Mwanza.

“She said the construction of hotels and mall would also provide employment to Zambians. ‘Zambia would like to learn from Turkey, a country leading in construction, agriculture and even in the clothing industry,’ Ambassador Sikaneta said. There are 170 Turkish schools worldwide, 36 being in Africa. So far 20 African countries have agreed to reposes schools and hand them to the Turkish government.”