The University of The Gambia is set to add Turkish to its curriculum as the fourth foreign language, alongside German, English, and French. This development follows an agreement with the Banjul Yunus Emre Institute (YEE), according to the institute’s coordinator, Halil Ibrahim Efe.
Efe highlighted YEE’s broader efforts across Africa, which include language education, cultural events, exhibitions, film screenings, and traditional arts programs. The institute operates 92 cultural centers in 68 countries, with 15 in Africa, and plans to expand further, including the establishment of a center in The Gambia within two weeks.
The growing interest in Türkiye, particularly among military and police personnel, has fueled demand for Turkish language education in The Gambia. Previously, opportunities to learn Turkish were limited to official purposes, but the new initiative will make it accessible to the general public.
Efe emphasized The Gambia’s long-standing ties with Türkiye, dating back to military cooperation in the 1990s. He noted that many Gambians have expressed interest in learning Turkish, further strengthening cultural and diplomatic relations between the two nations.
