A lasting friendship

Salahuddin Rabbani

Ninety years ago, Afghanistan and Turkey signed a treaty of friendship, on March 1, 1921. Two years before the establishment of the Republic of Turkey, the Ottoman officials and the representatives of the Afghan government signed the friendship treaty. Two years later in 1923, Afghanistan was one of the first countries to recognize the Republic of Turkey. With the establishment of the Turkish Republic, the cordial relations that existed between the two brotherly countries further strengthened and entered into a new phase of intense cooperation.

The two countries have always been very close friends. As a true friend, Turkey has always been ready to assist Afghanistan. Turkey’s constructive involvement in Afghanistan is not a recent phenomenon. In the 1920s, when Afghanistan embarked on building a modern National Army, it sought Turkish assistance in building its military institution. The role played by the Turkish officers in building the Afghan Army will always remain as an important part of our history. Turkey’s role, however, was not limited to building our military institutions. Health and education were the other important areas where Turkey played a crucial role.