BY SHEENA FORDE-CRAIGG | SEP 22, 2022
Minister of State in Foreign Trade and Business, Sandra Husbands, presents a gift to Turkey’s Ambassador to Barbados, Bengü Yiğitgüden, following their courtesy call yesterday. (S. Forde-Craigg/BGIS)
Minister of State in Foreign Trade and Business, Sandra Husbands, met yesterday with the non-resident Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Türkiye (Turkey) to Barbados, Bengü Yiğitgüden.
During the courtesy call held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Culloden Road, St. Michael, Minister Husbands and Ambassador Yiğitgüden discussed the deepening and strengthening of existing cordial relations between the two countries.
In welcoming Mrs. Yiğitgüden, Minister Husbands pointed out that Barbados is “always happy to receive ambassadorial representation. It helps Barbados to widen and strengthen its relationships across the world, and we appreciate Turkey taking a keen interest in establishing closer relations here within CARICOM”.
In response, the Ambassador noted that Türkiye has had diplomatic relations with the Caribbean region since the 1970s and it was important to “better cooperation” with the region in different areas.
The two officials discussed developing cooperation in areas including double taxation agreements, airlift services, tourism, agriculture, educational scholarships and climate change.
Also present at the courtesy call were Senior Foreign Service Officer, Head of Europe, Africa and Asia Division, Trecia King and Foreign Service Officer, Craig Brathwaite.
Ambassador Yiğitgüden presented her credentials to the acting President of Barbados, The Very Reverend Dr. Jeffrey Gibson on September 20, 2022.
Barbados and Türkiye established diplomatic relations on September 19, 1972, and Türkiye’s Ambassador to Barbados was first accredited on February 19, 1973.
Currently, Barbados has no accredited representative to Türkiye; however, Kaan Tolga Eken has been performing the duties of Barbados’ Honorary Consul in Istanbul, Türkiye since 2015.
