{"id":26862,"date":"2023-12-20T23:45:01","date_gmt":"2023-12-20T20:45:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bicakhukuk.com\/?p=26862"},"modified":"2026-08-03T15:40:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T12:40:12","slug":"seminar-with-african-diplomatic-corps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bicakhukuk.com\/en\/seminar-with-african-diplomatic-corps\/","title":{"rendered":"Seminar with African Diplomatic Corps"},"content":{"rendered":"

1. Introduction<\/span><\/h3>\n

As part of its long-standing commitment to supporting embassies, sovereign governments and international organisations operating in T\u00fcrkiye, B\u0131\u00e7ak Law Firm<\/strong> was honoured to participate in and contribute to a seminar organised in cooperation with the Ankara-Based African Diplomatic Corps<\/strong>. Bringing together ambassadors, diplomats and senior representatives from African embassies accredited to the Republic of T\u00fcrkiye, the seminar focused on the legal and practical issues affecting diplomatic missions while exploring broader opportunities for institutional cooperation between T\u00fcrkiye and African countries.<\/span><\/p>\n

The event represented far more than a discussion of legal services. It provided an important forum for exchanging views on diplomatic practice, international cooperation and sustainable development at a time when T\u00fcrkiye’s engagement with the African continent continues to expand across political, economic, commercial and educational sectors. The seminar also highlighted the increasingly important role that specialised legal services play in supporting embassies as they carry out their diplomatic, consular and administrative functions under Turkish law.<\/span><\/p>\n

For B\u0131\u00e7ak Law Firm, the seminar marked one of the defining milestones in the development of its dedicated Embassy and Diplomatic Legal Services<\/strong><\/a> practice. Since the event, the firm has continued to expand its cooperation with diplomatic missions through legal advisory services, legal-awareness programmes, international publications and institutional partnerships supporting embassies and international organisations throughout T\u00fcrkiye.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Bringing Together the African Diplomatic Community<\/span><\/h3>\n

The seminar brought together 47 participants representing the Ankara-based African Diplomatic Corps<\/strong>, including ambassadors, diplomats and senior representatives from African embassies accredited to the Republic of T\u00fcrkiye. The high level of participation demonstrated both the importance attached to legal cooperation by African diplomatic missions and the growing significance of T\u00fcrkiye\u2013Africa relations. <\/span>The discussions reflected the practical realities faced by diplomatic missions operating abroad. While embassies primarily focus on diplomacy, consular affairs and the promotion of bilateral relations, they also encounter a wide range of legal issues governed by the domestic law of the receiving State. Employment of locally engaged personnel, acquisition and leasing of diplomatic premises, commercial contracts, procurement, regulatory compliance, taxation, dispute resolution and interaction with Turkish administrative authorities all require specialised legal advice combining knowledge of Turkish law with an understanding of diplomatic practice.\u00a0<\/span>Against this background, the seminar sought to create a platform where members of the diplomatic community could exchange experiences, identify common legal challenges and explore practical solutions through cooperation with experienced legal professionals.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Opening Remarks by the Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps<\/span><\/h3>\n

The seminar opened with remarks by H.E. Ambassador Majok Guandong Thiep<\/strong>, Ambassador of the Republic of South Sudan to the Republic of T\u00fcrkiye and Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps in Ankara<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/span>Ambassador Thiep reaffirmed Africa’s commitment to sustainable economic growth, social development and regional stability. He emphasised that many of the continent’s most pressing challenges – including climate change, food insecurity, youth unemployment and infrastructure development – require innovative and collaborative solutions built upon strong international partnerships.\u00a0<\/span>He further underlined the importance of international cooperation in promoting inclusive economic development, facilitating trade, strengthening peace and advancing the objectives of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals<\/a> (SDGs)<\/strong> and Agenda 2030<\/strong><\/a>. His remarks highlighted the value of practical partnerships between African countries and T\u00fcrkiye based on mutual respect, shared expertise and long-term institutional cooperation. <\/span>These observations provided an important framework for the discussions that followed, emphasising that legal services should not be viewed solely as dispute-resolution mechanisms but also as tools supporting diplomacy, investment, sustainable development and institutional capacity building.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Legal Services for Diplomatic Missions in T\u00fcrkiye<\/span><\/h3>\n

The seminar examined the broad range of legal issues affecting diplomatic missions operating in T\u00fcrkiye. While the privileges and immunities enjoyed by diplomatic missions are governed by international law, embassies nevertheless interact extensively with Turkish domestic law in the course of their daily activities. <\/span>Among the principal subjects discussed were:<\/span><\/p>\n