Affable, charming and immensely proud to represent his country, HE Ambassador of Türkiye, Semih Lütfü Turgut recently presented his credentials to President Ranil Wickremesinghe and began his ambassadorial duties in Sri Lanka.   Ambassador Turgut embarked on his journey with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye in 1997. His early years at Headquarters were spent in the Multilateral Economic Affairs, Policy Planning, and Administration and Finance Directorate Generals. He also served as Foreign Policy Advisor to the Minister of Tourism and Culture between 2013-2014.

His diplomatic career has spanned the globe, with postings in Ulan Baatar, Washington, D.C., Islamabad, and Rome. He also held the position of Consul-General in Alexandria, Edinburgh, and Mazar-e Sharif.

These diverse experiences have equipped him with a wealth of knowledge in building bridges in commerce, education, and culture. In his current role, he is dedicated to strengthening the diplomatic relationship between Türkiye and Sri Lanka, focusing on enhancing cooperation in trade, commerce, education, and culture. He aims to promote mutual understanding through educational exchanges and cultural events while helping Turkish companies establish strategic partnerships in Sri Lanka.

Ambassador Turgut’s first impressions of Sri Lanka have been overwhelmingly positive, noting the kindness of its people and the richness of its culture and history. In his first interview with Life, Ambassador Turgut opines that he looks forward to deepening the bonds between the two nations.

Q CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR CAREER JOURNEY IN THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE, WITH REFERENCE TO THE POSTINGS YOU HAVE HELD PRIOR TO YOUR CURRENT POSITION IN SRI LANKA? I joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye in 1997. At Headquarters, I worked at Multilateral Economic Affairs (from 1997 to 2000), Policy Planning (from 2005 to 2007; also 2012-2013), Administration and Finance (2019-2020) Directorate Generals. I was also a Foreign Policy Advisor to the Minister of Tourism and Culture between 2013-2014.

I served in Turkish Embassies in Ulan Baatar (Mongolia), Washington, D.C. (the USA), Islamabad (Pakistan) and Rome (Italy) in various positions before assuming my duties as Consul-General in Alexandria (Egypt) between 2010-2012; in Edinburgh (Scotland/the UK) between 2014-2018 and in Mazar-e Sharif (Afghanistan) between 2020-2024. 

Q WHICH OF YOUR PREVIOUS POSTINGS DO YOU FEEL MOST PREPARED YOU FOR YOUR ROLE HERE IN SRI LANKA?  It is hard to answer this question since any Ambassador is the product of cumulative experiences in various countries. I think, assuming responsibility as Head of Mission is useful. While serving as Consul-General in three different countries, I tried my best to build bridges in the fields of commerce, education, and culture, connecting individuals and institutions, and seeking common grounds to go forward.

Q WHAT ARE YOUR MAIN PRIORITIES IN STRENGTHENING THE DIPLOMATIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TÜRKIYE AND SRI LANKA? Türkiye is aiming for peace and stability in its region and beyond, therefore supports effective engagement diplomacy and allocates resources to the countries in need, both in development and humanitarian areas. In that vein, the Turkish Red Crescent (Kizilay) and Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) have implemented projects in Sri Lanka. Türkiye and Sri Lanka have similar views on international security due to their fight against separatist terrorism. As we have no political problems, there is a strong governmental will to deepen our relations on trade, commerce, and tourism. In addition to these fields, I would like to focus on education and cultural fields.  

Q ARE THERE ANY SPECIFIC AREAS WHERE YOU SEE SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL FOR COLLABORATION BETWEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES? Sri Lanka is known for its unique Ceylon Tea, variety of gems, extensive textile industry and attractive tourist destinations. All these assets of Sri Lanka combined with its geostrategic importance have many potentials. Nevertheless, I need some time to understand the fabric of opportunities and nature of challenges. In today’s world, promoting dialogue, paving the way for people-to-people interactions and institutional relationship-building are essential to explore the potential areas of collaboration. These efforts will help entrepreneurs, academics and artists in both countries to have a better understanding of each other.

Q WHAT INITIATIVES ARE YOU PLANNING TO ENHANCE TRADE RELATIONS BETWEEN TÜRKIYE AND SRI LANKA? Its strategic location, qualified human capital and free trade agreements make Sri Lanka attractive for foreign direct investments. The country prefers a growth strategy based on expanding supply capacity and broadening market access. This strategy naturally has an emphasis on South Asia, South East Asia, and East Asia. Although Sri Lanka imports most of the products in this region, some of the largest export destinations are located in other regions.

In that respect, I am planning to help Turkish companies that would have an interest in establishing strategic partnerships in Sri Lanka. I will try to find trustworthy Sri Lankan partners for Turkish companies. I will encourage Turkish companies to conduct extensive market research in building regional business strategy that centres in Sri Lanka. Due to recent challenges in global supply chain and logistics, joint production and investment opportunities are priority areas.

Q HOW CAN TÜRKIYE AND SRI LANKA COLLABORATE TO PROMOTE EACH OTHER AS ATTRACTIVE TOURIST DESTINATIONS? Promoting is showcasing the value and uniqueness of a tourist destination that could attract visitors. It is about highlighting its characteristics and features, whether historical landmarks or natural beauty. The current trends reveal that establishing a strong online presence is a necessity, therefore we might help each other to establish multilingual web pages, including Turkish, Sinhalese and Tamil. These web pages will help us to announce cultural and tourist events calendar, and promote national and local attractions with engaging content. Furthermore, it will be useful to host artists, to organize shows and festivals which will also be shared on social media.

Q HAVE YOU IN MIND ANY CULTURAL EVENTS OR PROJECTS THAT AIM TO HIGHLIGHT TURKISH CULTURE IN SRI LANKA? I would like to continue organizing Turkish Food Days in Sri Lanka to provide the opportunity for Sri Lankans to learn more about our rich cuisine. Moreover, to foster cross-cultural understanding, we would like to bring Turkish musicians for performances and Turkish designers for fashion shows as well. We believe that these events cannot be organized without friends, so we are ready to work together with serious partners in Sri Lanka for fantastic events and celebrations.

Q WHAT ROLE DO YOU THINK EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGES WILL PLAY IN RELATIONS BETWEEN TÜRKIYE AND SRI LANKA? Education depends on people-to-people exchanges that enrich social and cultural experiences. In that regard, education is an important component in the fight against prejudgment. Furthermore, academic and student exchange programmes grant the possibility to initiate and expand cooperation between education institutions as well as to improve the expertise and knowledge in both countries. Turks and Sri Lankans are friendly and hospitable, therefore foreign students are welcomed and embraced by the local people. Moreover, due to the lack of political tension between the two countries, our students feel comfortable, safe, and secure while studying. Türkiye provides 25 scholarships to Sri Lanka in 2024, covering their tuition fees, stipends, and accommodation costs in dormitories.  

Q WHAT ARE YOUR FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF SRI LANKA, BOTH PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY AND WHAT ASPECTS OF SRI LANKAN CULTURE AND SOCIETY HAVE STOOD OUT TO YOU THE MOST SINCE YOUR ARRIVAL? My first impression is the kindness of the people, as all Sri Lankans from bureaucrats to salespersons are smiling, nice and helpful. Moreover, the richness of the culture and history is evident and visible in Colombo, a city that seems safe and peaceful. Diversity reveals itself in every aspect, ranging from religious to ethnic and from traditional to modern styles, all coexist together. Unfortunately, I have not seen famous tea plantations, lovely beaches, and elephants yet, but imagine them as breathtaking.