WasteAid and the Turkish Embassy: A New Partnership for Sustainable Change in The Gambia

On 12 May 2026, WasteAid’s Director of Programmes and Project Officer met with Turkish Ambassador F. Turker Oba at the Turkish Embassy in The Gambia to explore potential collaboration on environmental sustainability and waste management.

At WasteAid, we believe that lasting change comes from building local systems, strengthening community capacity, and forging partnerships that go beyond borders. Meetings like this one are central to that mission.

The conversation shone a spotlight on WasteAid’s flagship programmes in the country – focused on plastic reduction and organic waste management – while also providing insight into the Turkish government’s development work delivered through the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA). This includes tree planting, borehole construction at Bijilo Monkey Park, and the provision of tools and equipment to support local waste management efforts.

The meeting generated real enthusiasm for what a partnership could look like, bringing together WasteAid’s expertise in community-led capacity building with the reach and resources of the Turkish Embassy and TİKA. For WasteAid, partnerships like this are essential – tackling the waste crisis in lower-income countries requires collaboration across governments, communities, and international organisations, and no single actor can do it alone.

Discussions also touched on the Embassy’s broader network of partnerships in The Gambia – including with the Office of the First Lady, the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources, and Brikama Area Council – reflecting a shared and sustained commitment to sustainable development across the country.

WasteAid looks forward to building on this promising start and working alongside the Turkish Embassy towards a cleaner, healthier Gambia – where waste is managed sustainably, livelihoods are strengthened, and no community is left behind.