TÜRKIYE–BURUNDI ECONOMIC COOPERATION GAINS MOMENTUM

At the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, a meeting was held between H.E. Évariste Ndayishimiye, President of Burundi, and the Turkish business delegation led by Dide Özdikmen, Chairperson of the DEİK Türkiye–Burundi Business Council, Vice Chairperson of the DEİK International Technical Consultancy Business Council and Managing Partner of Alter International Engineering & Consultancy Services, together with representatives of the Turkish business community, focusing on strengthening economic cooperation between Türkiye and Burundi and exploring concrete investment opportunities in strategic sectors such as infrastructure, water, mining, agriculture and energy. During the meeting, Burundi’s strategic position as a gateway to East and Central Africa, as well as its role during the African Union Chairmanship period, were highlighted as important drivers for new cooperation opportunities between the two countries. The parties also discussed the organization of a Türkiye–Burundi Business and Investment Forum aimed at bringing together the business communities of both countries and encouraging long-term partnerships. Özdikmen stated that Turkish companies should take a more active role not only during construction phases, but throughout the entire project cycle, including feasibility studies, master planning, detailed engineering design, technical specifications and construction supervision services. She emphasized that integrating technical consultancy and contracting services is critical for ensuring project sustainability and long-term efficiency in international infrastructure investments. Highlighting the growing investment potential in water, environment, transportation and energy sectors, Özdikmen also noted that Turkish companies’ experience in Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) and Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models could contribute significantly to the implementation of sustainable and high-quality infrastructure projects in Burundi. With its expanding international operations, Alter International Engineering & Consultancy Services continues to strengthen its presence in international markets through technical consultancy, engineering and infrastructure-focused cooperation initiatives across Africa and other emerging regions.