By Seedy Jobe
The outgoing Turkish ambassador to The Gambia, Fahri Türker Oba, has described his two and a half years in the country as a rewarding experience, praising its stability and potential while urging Gambians not to take those qualities for granted.
Speaking in an interview with QTV on Tuesday, ahead of his departure at the end of the month, Ambassador Oba said his posting had offered valuable lessons, both professionally and culturally.
“This country is a gem,” he said. “You still have some steps to go, but you’re on the right track.”
Mr. Oba said that while every country faces challenges, The Gambia’s relative stability remains an important asset. He said he had been warmly received by government officials, the public, and the media throughout his tenure, while crediting his embassy staff for the work accomplished during his posting.
Diplomatic achievements, he said, should be viewed as the product of institutions and teams rather than individuals.
That philosophy, Mr. Oba said, shaped his approach to strengthening relations between Turkey and The Gambia. While ties between the two countries have traditionally centered on security and defense cooperation, he said his tenure focused on broadening those relations and creating lasting institutional partnerships.
He cited consumer protection, auditing, and public administration among areas where Turkish and Gambian institutions have been developing closer links.
His objective, he said, was to ensure that cooperation endured beyond the tenure of any individual diplomat or government official.
“People can leave, can retire, or can go away from this world, but the system will stay in place,” he said, describing institutional continuity as one of his principal goals.
Mr. Oba also pointed to trade and investment as areas with considerable room for growth, describing economic relations as a “two-way game.” He encouraged serious entrepreneurs from both countries to explore opportunities while warning Gambian businesses to exercise caution when dealing with offers that appear unusually cheap or potentially fraudulent.
Health, transportation, energy, construction, and consumer goods are among the sectors he identified as having potential for deeper cooperation.
Mr. Oba said the Turkish Embassy has worked with the Gambia Investment and Export Promotion Agency, the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Women’s Chamber of Commerce to strengthen business connections and encourage Turkish investors to consider opportunities in The Gambia.
Education and health, he said, have also become important pillars of the relationship.
Mr. Oba pointed to scholarship programs offered by Turkey and Turkish universities, which have enabled Gambian students to pursue higher education there. He described Gambian young people as bright and said he hoped more would have opportunities to study in Turkey and return home to contribute to the country’s development.
He said he also planned to meet with a newly established association of Gambians who studied in Turkey.
In health care, Mr. Oba highlighted cooperation involving Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital and Ankara University. Under the latest phase of the partnership, Gambian medical professionals and administrators have received training in Ankara, while about $75,000 worth of medical equipment was donated in May, he said.
The next phase, being pursued in partnership with the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency, or TİKA, is expected to establish what Mr. Oba described as The Gambia’s first dedicated pediatric intensive care unit. He credited Health Minister Dr. Ahmadou Lamin Samateh’s successor, Dr. Bittaye, and other officials for their cooperation on the initiative.
Mr. Oba also highlighted Turkish Airlines as an important link between the two countries, saying The Gambia remained part of the airline’s network despite global pressures on operating costs. He described that continued connection as a sign of confidence in the relationship.
Still, he acknowledged that high airfares remain an obstacle to greater people-to-people exchanges.
He said the Yunus Emre Cultural Centre, which opened in April 2025, could help deepen cultural ties. He pointed to recent visits by Gambian wrestlers and karate athletes to Turkey as examples of smaller exchanges that could gradually broaden relations between the two countries.
On a personal level, Mr. Oba said he had also tried to experience Gambian life beyond his diplomatic duties. He recalled attending a wedding over the weekend dressed in traditional Gambian attire and participating in local customs, describing the experience as one of the memorable moments of his posting.
As he prepares to leave The Gambia, Mr. Oba said expanding cultural, economic and institutional exchanges would remain an important task for his successor.
His departure brings to a close a tenure during which Turkey sought to broaden a relationship historically rooted in defense and security into areas including education, health, trade, investment and cultural exchange.
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