Turkey ratifies agreements with 7 countries

The Turkish government ratified agreements with seven countries in areas of education, sports, and health, according to information issued in the Official Gazette on Saturday.

A visa cooperation deal with Azerbaijan, signed on Feb. 25 last year, was among the approved agreements.

It aims to facilitate short-term travel between the two countries and gives citizens a 30-day visa validity period from the date of entry.

Turkey’s extradition agreement with Kosovo inked on May 31, 2011 was also ratified.

The agreement aims to “develop international cooperation in the field of criminal law” and “further ends of justice and the social rehabilitation of sentenced persons.”

Under the deal, the two countries will afford each other the highest level of cooperation on extradition of convicts.

Turkey also formalized its military training cooperation agreement with Niger, signed on July 21 last year.

The pact is part of efforts by the two countries to further strengthen their friendly relations and enhance military cooperation.

It applies to officers, non-commissioned officers, cadets, specialized sergeants, and civil personnel of armed forces of both countries who are accepted to receive training, or participate in the conduct of training and cooperation activities, at military training institutions, units and facilities, according to the notification.

A customs cooperation protocol between Turkey and Kazakhstan was also ratified.

Signed by Turkey’s Ministry of Customs and Trade and Kazakhstan's Finance Ministry on Dec. 23, 2017, the agreement is aimed at capacity building and enhancing the efficiency of their respective customs services.

An agreement for cooperation in youth and sports affairs signed by Turkey and Gambia on Jan. 20 last year was also approved.

It seeks to boost collaboration between the youth and sports bodies of the two countries, with a particular focus on sports management, promoting women’s sports, sports law, sports for the disabled, and anti-doping measures.

Another agreement formalized on Saturday was Turkey’s pact with Senegal on disaster management, inked on Jan. 28 last year.

Under the deal, the two countries will exchange technologies and expertise on reduction, prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery in disaster and emergency management, the notification said.

Turkey also ratified an agreement signed with Namibia on Oct. 30, 2019, aimed at “establishing and developing diversified relations in the field of health in the spirit of solidarity and friendship.”