Afghanistan and Türkiye Reaffirm Commitment to Expanding Tourism Cooperation
On Monday, 27 Muharram 1448 AH, Mawlawi Qudratullah Jamal, Deputy Minister for Tourism, Finance, and Administrative Affairs at the Ministry of Information and Culture, met with Mr. Sadin Ayildiz, Chargé d'Affaires of the Republic of Türkiye in Kabul, to discuss ways to strengthen further bilateral cooperation in tourism, cultural affairs, and the historical ties between Afghanistan and Türkiye.
At the start of the meeting, Mawlawi Jamal praised the strong historical, cultural, religious, and political ties between Afghanistan and Türkiye. He thanked the Government of Türkiye, its Embassy in Kabul, and especially the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) for their ongoing support in Afghanistan's cultural and educational sectors. He pointed to projects like building the public library's reading hall, training National Archives staff, renovating a youth dormitory, and constructing the khanqah of Bahauddin Walad, the father of Mawlana Jalaluddin Balkhi (Rumi), in Balkh, which are among the tangible examples of the strong cooperation between the two countries.
The deputy minister further noted that Afghanistan possesses significant potential for historical, cultural, and religious tourism. He expressed hope that, during the tenure of the Turkish Chargé d'Affaires, cooperation would continue to expand in the fields of tourism, cultural heritage preservation, and strengthening ties between the peoples of the two countries.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Ayildiz said that the shared historical, cultural, social, and religious values of Afghanistan and Türkiye form the foundation of the close relationship between the two nations. He described culture as the strongest bridge connecting the two countries.
Mr. Ayildiz also highlighted tourism as one of Türkiye's fastest-growing economic sectors. He emphasized his country's willingness to share its experience and expertise with Afghanistan in the areas of tourism development, hospitality, tourism services, and human resource capacity-building. He further assured the meeting that he would coordinate with the relevant Turkish institutions to support the professional development of personnel at Afghanistan's Ministry of Information and Culture.
The two sides also discussed practical avenues for expanding bilateral cooperation in the tourism sector. Their discussions included the proposed signing of a memorandum of understanding on tourism cooperation, the promotion of historical, cultural, and religious tourism, the introduction of the two countries' tourism attractions, measures to facilitate tourist travel, the organization of training programmes, enhanced cooperation between private-sector stakeholders and tourism companies, participation in international tourism exhibitions, and the establishment of a joint technical working group.
Mr. Ayildiz noted that Safa Services Company is the only authorized provider of official Turkish visa application services in Afghanistan and stated that Afghan citizens may register their visa applications through the company.
Concluding the meeting, both sides emphasized that expanding cooperation in tourism would not only contribute to the economic development of both countries but would also strengthen cultural exchanges, people-to-people ties, the promotion of historical heritage, and broader regional cooperation.
(Monday, 27 Muharram 1448 AH)
13-Jul-26
