TİKA Provides Support to the African Leaders Summit

The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) organized a training program in the areas of cookery, serving and housekeeping for the personnel employed at the African Union Summit held in Mauritania on July 1-2.

According to the written statement by TİKA, in collaboration with Association of All Restaurants, Diners, and Suppliers (TÜRES), the Agency provided training programs in the areas of cookery, housekeeping and serving to 351 personnel employed at the 31st African Union Summit held in the capital Nouakchott.

During President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's visit to Mauritania to contribute to tourism and hospitality in Mauritania as part of his Africa tour which took place between February 27-March 2, it was ordered that TİKA organize a training program for the personnel on duty at the African Union Summit to be held in Mauritania upon the request of Mauritania's Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism Naha Mint Hamdi Ould Mouknass.

In this regard, the Agency organized a two-month program in a variety of areas, ranging from cookery to serving and housekeeping, which may be needed in the service sector with expert Turkish trainers for 351 Mauritanian personnel.

Prior to the program, TİKA and TÜRES carried out a visit to Mauritania during which officials determined the locations in which the training sessions were to be provided. During the visit, several hotels and institutions were visited and the most suitable areas for the practical and theoretical training sessions were determined.

After the Convention Center of the Presidency of Mauritania was decided upon as the most suitable location for both culinary and theoretical training sessions, the necessary kitchen tools were identified and kitchen equipment was procured from Turkey and sent to the capital Nouakchott. Afterwards, a professional kitchen capable of meeting the needs for the training programs and summit was established.

The training program was carried out in two phases in both Turkey and Mauritania. In the first stage, 23 individuals with a certain level of expertise in the branches of tourism-hospitality and capable of contributing to the coordination of the programs planned to take place in Mauritania were provided basic training in the areas of cookery, pastry, serving, and housekeeping for a duration of 10 days.

Following these training sessions, a 20-person team of Turkish trainers who are experts in their fields planned a 50-day training program in Mauritania. Theoretical training in the areas of cookery-pastry, serving, and housekeeping was held in the conference halls of the Convention Center of the Presidency of Mauritania with the participation of 351 participants.

In the field of cookery, practical training was provided in subjects such as cooking techniques, storage, chopping techniques, and food safety. Trainees who successfully completed the training sessions were divided into groups by trainers to serve the heads of state and were sent to their places of duty.

Throughout the 31st African Union Summit held in Mauritania, trainees of the Agency served the heads of state and other guests. During the summit, various Turkish-Ottoman cuisines such as Islim kebab, Mutancana, pumpkin dessert, and semolina halva were prepared for lunch and dinner.

TİKA procured all utensils needed for presentations and training sessions – such as plate, cup, fork and knife sets, along with uniforms for waiters and service personnel – from Turkey and sent it to Nouakchott.

Twenty-two heads of state, the prime ministers from Egypt, Algeria, Somalia, and Cameroon, and foreign ministers from Morocco and Angola attended the 31st African Union Summit, which was hosted by Mauritania for the first time.