Turkish Parliament Speaker Highlights Shared Ottoman Heritage During Sudan Visit

Turkish Parliament Speaker Bülent Arınç visited Sudan in January 2007 as the official guest of Sudanese National Assembly Speaker Ahmed Ibrahim al-Tahir, attending dedication ceremonies for several recently restored Ottoman-era tombs and shrines.

Arınç emphasized that Türkiye and Sudan share a common history, religion, and culture, pointing to the restored sites as evidence that the two peoples once lived together under the same banner. He described that shared past as one defined by "science, morality and civilization," and praised Sudan for honoring the Ottoman legacy on its soil.

The speaker also noted Sudan's geographic scale and strategic significance within Africa and the broader region.

Sudanese Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Mohammed Yusuf Abdallah echoed the sentiment, saying the two countries have deep historical ties and expressed a desire to strengthen them going forward.

Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in January 2007, in its own words.