Yunus Emre Institute has opened up a Turkish language teaching center at Cap Manuel Military Base in Dakar, the capital of Senegal.

A protocol was inked between Yunus Emre Institute and Senegalese General Staff during the opening ceremony held at the military base. Senegalese Chief of General Staff Cheikh Gueye and Ambassador of Turkey to Dakar Nihat Civaner presented the protocol signed between the Institute and the General Staff to each other.

The program was attended by Senegalese Chief of General Staff Cheikh Gueye, Ambassador of Turkey to Dakar Nihat Civaner, Military Attaché to Senegal Colonel Emrah Yıldırım, Yunus Emre Institute's Dakar Branch Director Erdal Bolatkale and the Senegalese top brass.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Military Attaché to Senegal Colonel Emrah Yıldırım indicated that the center was allocated by the Senegalese army and refurbished by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and it will be run by the Institute under the protocol signed.

70 people to learn Turkish

Yıldırım noted that the Turkish Armed Forces provide military training exclusively in Turkish and the police officers, gendarmerie, military and other security personnel in Senegal need to speak Turkish in order to attend military training in Turkey. He indicated that approximately 70 people will start to learn Turkish at the center in the first week of January.

Increased military cooperation

Senegalese Chief of General Staff Gueye underlined that the opening of a language center in Senegal is proof of the increased military cooperation between the two countries.

"Senegal's military industry is getting stronger thanks to the equipment provided by the Turkish military industry," he said, adding that the training to be provided by the center will facilitate the overcoming of the language barrier.

100 officers trained so far

Turkey's Ambassador to Dakar Civaner pointed out that the Turkish army has been providing training to Senegalese officers under the military training cooperation deal made in 1998, and 100 officers have been trained so far, and the training of 17 officers are currently underway in Turkey.

The Institute's activities in Dakar started with the Turkish language courses given to Senegalese officers.

Yunus Emre Institute's Dakar Branch Director Bolatkale expressed satisfaction over the Institute's activities in Dakar that started with the teaching of Turkish to Senegalese officers. He maintained that Senegalese officers will be able to communicate with other people in Turkish speaking countries after completing their training at the Cap Manuel Turkish Teaching Center.