Turkey to establish diplomatic mission here

Foreign Minister Gbehzohngar Milton Findley and Turkish Ambassador to Liberia, Her Excellency Mrs. Nesrin Beyazit The Turkish Ambassador accredited to Liberia, Mrs. Nesrin Beyazit, has disclosed that Turkey is ready and prepared to establish its diplomatic mission near the Liberian capital Monrovia.

Ambassador Beyazit, who is currently resident in Accra, Ghana, made the disclosure Wednesday, April 25, when she paid a courtesy call on the Foreign Minister, H. E. Mr. Gbehzohngar Milton Findley at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

She was accompanied to the Ministry by Mr. Cihat Demirli, Member of the Board of Trustees of Turkish Maarif Foundation (TMF) and Mr. Adem Koc of the Regional Coordinator for Africa for TMF.

“We are going to open our embassy in Liberia very soon. Our government has already decided on this. We believe establishing our diplomatic mission here would help boost our bilateral relationship and promote cooperation between our two countries,” she told the Liberia Foreign Minister.

While congratulating Minister Findley on his appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Beyazit told the Foreign Minsiter, who is Dean of the Cabinet that the purpose of her visit to Liberia at this time is to hold discussions with the Liberian government aimed at strengthening Liberia-Turkey relations under the Weah-led Administration.

She hailed the excellent bilateral relations between the two countries; adding: “We think the bilateral relationship between Liberia and Turkey is really expanding with more Turkish investors coming to invest in Liberia.”

She noted that her government is fully prepared to support Liberia’s development agenda stating, “We are here to hold bilateral discussions to see if you have something new to put on the table concerning the cooperation between our two countries. We are here to listen.”

She thanked the Minister for the warm reception accorded her delegation and indicated that her visit is in response to Her Foreign Minister’s Official visit to Liberia last year.

She further expressed hope that Liberia-Turkey relations would be diversified so as to expand cooperation for the mutual benefit of both countries. According to her, Turkey intends to expand cooperation with Liberia in areas such as education, agriculture, trade and commerce, tourism and transport sector.

The Turkish Envoy also expressed hope that while in Liberia her delegation will meet with President Weah to pay him a courtesy visit and to extend warm message from his Turkish counterpart aimed at cementing the cordial relationship between both nations.

Responding, Foreign Minister Findley thanked the Turkish Envoy for the visit and indicated that Liberia and Turkey have had good bilateral relationship marked by excellent cooperation over the years, especially in the fields of trade, commerce and education. H noted, “We want to continue on the same path in order to strengthen and expand cooperation that would attract investment opportunities in Liberia aimed at improving the livelihood of the Liberian people, especially the younger generation.”

The Foreign Minister further stated that Turkey is one of those countries that Liberians have decided to look up to for investment including energy, agriculture, and the transport fields which he said Turkish companies are investing into in Liberia. He added: “Our two peoples have built cooperation even at the local level.”
The Foreign Minister hoped that the long standing traditional relationship between the two nations would be kept and improved for the mutual benefits of the two governments and peoples.

On the diplomatic front, he hailed Turkey on the visas waiver agreement between the two countries and expressed hope that it would be amended very soon to take effect.

He praised the Turkish Government for the support it has given to Liberians in the areas of vocational training, which he noted is imparting knowledge and skills among young Liberians.