Turkish Ambassador to Uganda Fatih Ak, and Ayşen Ak, wednesday hosted a reception to to commemorate the 102nd anniversary of the founding of Türkiye's Republic.
Ambassador Ak expressed appreciation to the government and people of Uganda for continued friendship, underscoring Türkiye’s readiness to further strengthen bilateral ties.
“Our friendship with Uganda continues to blossom, our bilateral trade volume reached US$75 million in 2024, and we expect it to surpass US$120 million dollars by the end of this year,” he said.
“Just two weeks ago, at the Türkiye–Africa Business and Economic Forum in Istanbul, 50 Ugandan business leaders took part, a clear sign of the expanding cooperation between our private sectors,” he noted.
He paid tribute to the founder of the Republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and the members of the Grand National Assembly who led Türkiye’s war of Independence.
“On this proud day, I wholeheartedly congratulate and commemorate with mercy the heroes who made the lands of Türkiye our homeland with their blood and lives. After the hardships of World War I, our nation rose from the ashes under the visionary leadership of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who led our struggle for independence and established the modern Republic of Türkiye in 1923,” he said.
Infrastructure development
He noted that Turkish companies were contributing to Uganda’s infrastructure development.
“Turkish companies are contributing directly to Uganda’s development, quite literally helping to build its future. Yapı Merkezi is constructing the Malaba–Kampala Standard Gauge Railway, a transformative project that will cut freight costs from Mombasa to Kampala by half. Summa is completing the Hoima City Stadium, in a remarkable achievement in record time. Gülsan Construction is building the Apac–Lira–Puranga road, and Polatyol is finalising the Muyembe–Nakapiripirit road, improving connectivity to the Karamoja region,” the ambassador said.
“In the skies, Turkish Airlines continues to strengthen our ties by connecting Entebbe and Istanbul with nine weekly flights, up from seven. This connection links Uganda not only with Türkiye, but with over 340 destinations worldwide,” he added.
The event was attended by government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, business leaders and representatives of the Turkish community in Uganda including Murat Çetin, country coordinator for Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), Ali Ozdemir, the Country Manager for Turkish Airlines in Uganda among others.
Uganda’s Foreign Affairs Minister Okello Oryem congratulated the people of Türkiye on the 102nd anniversary of Republic’s founding, on behalf of the Uganda government.
Commission sports complex
He announced that the president of Uganda Yoweri Museveni will in December officially commission the $130 million modern sporting complex, the Hoima City stadium, that has been constructed by Turkish construction company, Summa.
The facility is one of the most advanced sports complexes in East Africa. It will host both domestic and international fixtures, including hosting the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania will be jointly hosting the continent’s biggest football tournament for the first time.
According to Summa’s project engineer, Murat Altun, the stadium is completed and will serve football, athletics, rugby, basketball and indoor games, while creating a space for sports tourism and corporate events.
The Hoima complex will also feature a modern gymnasium, a swimming pool and a high-performance training center.
The minister applauded other Turkish construction companies undertaking infrastructure development in Uganda, including Yapı Merkezi that is constructing the $3bn Standard Gauge Railway and Polat Yol Yapi Sanyi currently upgrading the 92-kilometer Muyembe–Nakapiripirit road.
