Islamabad (TDI): Saliha Tuna, the Country Coordinator of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) in Pakistan, received the Global Ambassador Award on behalf of the organization, in a ceremony on Wednesday.
The Awards were organized by Diplomatic Insight Group (DIG) and were presented by the Group’s Chairperson, Dr. Farhat Asif, alongside the Minister of State/Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Heritage and Culture – Huzaifa Rehman, and Spokesperson to the President of Pakistan – Murtaza Solangi.
The award was conferred on TİKA in recognition of advancing development initiatives and strengthening the long-standing partnership between Türkiye and Pakistan.
Since assuming her role in Islamabad, Country Coordinator Tuna has been at the forefront of TİKA’s operations across Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Over the years, TİKA has implemented projects spanning education, healthcare, women’s empowerment, cultural preservation, and disaster relief, directly impacting thousands of lives across the country.
The organization’s work has resulted in the upgradation of 92 schools, benefiting over 6,000 students with uniforms, supplies, and improved infrastructure.
It established 15 advanced technology labs, hosted online training programs for incubation centers, and supported agricultural initiatives including plant observatories, greenhouses, and 125 vertical kitchen gardens to promote urban micro-gardening.
TİKA also established a 50-bed hospital serving over half a million people, a mobile health unit benefiting more than 19,000 individuals, and Pakistan’s first Thalassemia High Dependency Unit.
Its initiatives have empowered over 1,090 women through income-generating equipment and the implementation of more than 15 women’s empowerment projects.
In addition to humanitarian initiatives, TİKA has also prioritized efforts in cultural and literary preservation in Pakistan. It has safeguarded 30,500 manuscripts and 63,000 rare books through its Manuscripts Preservation Program.
The organization has upgraded museums and archaeological sites, and supported youth development through the establishment of two sports facilities.
In response to the flash floods of this year, TİKA assisted 50,000 people, distributed 31,500 food packages, and established a shelter home for the homeless. As the Country Coordinator, Saliha Tuna has been instrumental in the organization’s flood response.
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Before her tenure in Pakistan, Tuna served as TİKA Country Coordinator in Tunisia, where she led development programs and fostered collaboration between government bodies and civil society organizations.
A graduate of Galatasaray University Faculty of Law, she completed master’s coursework in sociology at İstanbul Şehir University and enhanced her academic experience through the Erasmus Exchange Program in France.
Throughout her career, Saliha Tuna has consistently advanced Türkiye’s development cooperation abroad, fostering partnerships rooted in mutual respect and shared progress.
Established in December 2008, The Diplomatic Insight is Pakistan’s premier diplomacy and foreign affairs magazine, available in both digital and print formats.
