Turkey donates 50 buses to Guinea's capital

CONAKRY, Guinea (AA) - Turkey has donated 50 buses to Guinea`s capital Conakry, shortly after Turkish Airlines announced Conakry as a new destination in sub-Saharan Africa.

The official ceremony for the handover took place on Monday evening in Conakry.

"The Istanbul municipality prepared the buses and the Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency [TIKA] delivered them to Guinea," said Ismail Hakki Turunc, an adviser of the Istanbul mayor told Anadolu Agency.

The head of TIKA Serdar Cam said that his institution opened an office in Conakry following President Recep Tayyip Erdogan`s visit to the country in 2016.

Announced by the Turkish president during his visit, the shipment was delivered in two phases, the first occurring last summer.

During the ceremony, Cam expressed his satisfaction over the cooperation between the Turkish and Guinean governments.

"Turkish Airlines began serving Conakry and the Turkish Maarif Foundation has opened an office here, " Cam added.

Last year, Turkey created the Maarif Foundation to establish schools and education centers abroad.

"These precious means of transport [...] come to fill an enormous deficit," said Mathurin Bangoura, governor of Conakry.

Oye Guilavogui , Guinean transport minister, expressed his desire for the establishment of a Turkish technical assistance mechanism "to ensure better management of this fleet that we have just received".