Amid a series of challenges that currently confront the Roberts International Airport (RIA), Liberia's only international airport, the government is seeking partnership to expand and modernize that major national facility.
The power outage at the RIA, which caused a serious stir among Liberians a few weeks ago, might have fast tracked the need for major work on the facility. The government has therefore moved to act swiftly with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs taking the lead.
In one of her recent moves to seek partnership for the improvement of the RIA, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sara Beysolow-Nyanti, engaged the government of Türkiye for a possible partnership---to which the Turkish government has responded to positively.
Liberia had made her request for a government-to-government (G2G) partnership on improving the infrastructure at Liberia's main international gateway, the RIA.
President Joseph Nyuma Boakai and his government are interested in strengthening and expanding the operations of the RIA to meet international standards and drive inclusive economic growth. To these aspirations the Turkish government has agreed to help.
This positive response followed a recent high-level diplomatic engagement between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Madam Sara Beysolow Nyanti, and Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The meeting took place on the margins of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, where Foreign Minister Nyanti conveyed to President Erdoğan the keen interest of President Boakai "to strengthen and expand the operations of RIA to meet international standards and drive inclusive economic growth."
Minister Nyanti underscored the importance of strategic G2G cooperation in revitalizing critical national infrastructure, particularly in the aviation sector.
President Erdoğan, in his response, immediately called upon his Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, and issued a directive for urgent follow-up on Liberia's proposal.
The Turkish leader emphasized Türkiye's commitment to exploring bilateral cooperation frameworks that support Liberia's infrastructure agenda through mutually beneficial partnerships.
In a subsequent media interview, Minister Uraloğlu confirmed the substance of the discussion and announced that a high-level Turkish delegation will travel to Liberia in the near future. The delegation will conduct a comprehensive assessment of RIA's operational capacity and explore avenues for technical and financial collaboration.
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This strategic engagement aligns with the broader economic diplomacy agenda being pursued by Foreign Minister Nyanti, who has been proactively engaging governments and international partners to attract foreign direct investment aimed at job creation, infrastructure development, and economic empowerment.
Notably, following Minister Nyanti's recent diplomatic outreach to His Excellency Captain Ibrahim Traoré, Head of State of Burkina Faso, a Burkinabe delegation commenced the construction of traditional weaving machines for women in Lofa County. This initiative, inspired by Burkina Faso's rich artisanal heritage, is expected to economically empower over 1,000 Liberian women.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs remains steadfast in advancing partnerships that yield tangible development outcomes for the Liberian people. Minister Nyanti's dialogue with Türkiye represents a forward-looking step toward unlocking investment in aviation and transportation infrastructure -- key sectors that underpin trade, tourism, and regional connectivity.
The upcoming visit by the Turkish delegation marks a promising milestone in Liberia's journey toward a modernized and globally competitive aviation sector, underpinned by strategic international cooperation.
