By JOHN SAKALA
Turkey’s International News Agency, Anadolu, has pledged to help strengthen the existing warm relations between Zambia and Turkey through co-operation in exchange of news and information with the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS).
Anadolu Agency (AA) Deputy Director-General Mustafa Ozkaya said the media organization was ready to sign the pending Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ZANIS to enable the two institutions to start exchanging news and information for the mutual benefit of the two countries.
“We are very enthusiastic to contribute to strengthening relations between Zambia and Turkey…we would like to establish channels for exchanging news between our two countries” Mr Ozkaya said.
He said this during a bilateral meeting with Zambia’s Ambassador to Turkey, Dr Joseph Chilengi in Ankara yesterday.
Mr Ozkaya further said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was determined to strengthen bilateral relations with Zambia as well as other African countries.
Mr Ozkaya added that President Erdogan was committed to creating a new order and AA was determined to support this agenda through dissemination of credible news and information.
He said AA was looking forward to interacting with Zambians and to cover news of overriding public interest.
And Dr Chilengi said Government through ZANIS was looking forward to signing the pending MoU with AA.
Dr Chilengi said this would enable ZANIS to benefit from AA’s experience as a renowned source of news and information world over.
“Zambians and His Excellency Mr President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, President of the Republic of Zambia are above the agenda of fake news and we are happy that Turkey and His Excellency, Mr Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of the Republic of Turkey also advocate a new order in which there is no space for creation and propagation of fake news,” Dr Chilengi said.
He urged AA and ZANIS to expeditiously sign the MoU to enable the two media institutions to benefit through training, exchange programmes and exchange of news and information for the mutual benefit of the two countries.
This is according to a media statement by First Secretary for Press at the Zambian Embassy in Turkey Jerry Munthali.
