Turkish-built school opens in rural Colombia

By Lokman Ilhan

BRICENO, Colombia (AA) - A school in rural Colombia built by Turkey’s aid agency had its opening ceremony Tuesday.

The school in the Orejon area of Antioquia, in the country’s northwest, the first region to see the benefits of last year’s government peace deal with guerrillas, was built by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA).

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos conveyed his special thanks for the support Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has shown development in his country.

“We thank our friend Erdogan for sending assistance to this school,” he said.

Santos, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for ending years of conflict with Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerillas, underlined Turkey’s support for making peace and thanked the Turkish government and its people.

He added that the school would also become a major employer in the region besides its main purpose of educating rural children.