President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has received the Letters of Credence from the new Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Liberia, His Excellency Mr. Sentürk Uzun.

According to an Executive Mansion release, the ceremony took place at the President’s temporary office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, April 30.

In response, after receiving Ambassador Uzun’s Letters of Credence, the Liberian leader acknowledged the friendly relations subsisting between Liberia and Turkey which has translated into a strategic partnership and has enabled them to pursue genuine cooperation for the mutual benefits of both countries.

She cited many high-level exchange of visitations, the most recent being a delegation from the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency who visited Monrovia to explore potential cooperation in the areas of health, education, agriculture, water and sanitation, and improvement of public and civil infrastructure from November 17-21, 2013.

President Sirleaf recounted Liberia’s civil conflict that greatly destroyed the country’s infrastructure and enumerated what her government, since her ascendancy, is doing to regain lost pride from infrastructural and economic degradation. She informed him about the launch of a long-term national development agenda, “The Liberia Rising Vision 2030”, which aims at projecting Liberia into a middle-income country capable of meeting and sustaining its own development aspirations by the year 2030. In the same vein, she informed him of the launch of a five-year program entitled “Agenda for Transformation,” which seeks to support nearly all the pillars of the Rising Liberia Vision 2030.

“It is our resolve to shift from simply exporting raw materials to being a manufacturing nation,” she informed the new Turkish envoy, adding that government is quite aware that this ambition comes with huge challenges; that is why they are calling on all the partners, including Turkey, to direct their investments in the manufacturing and service industries.

The Liberian leader stressed, “Having enjoyed more than a decade of peace and stability, we can say with certainty that this is a favorable environment required for such engagement,” adding, “We therefore note with immense appreciation that your Government has emphasized its willingness and preparedness to explore with Liberia all existing opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation and to contribute to the development efforts of the people of Liberia.”

She expressed appreciation to the Government of Turkey for the support given to peacekeeping initiatives in Liberia, especially to the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) where 25 Turkish police currently serve.

President Sirleaf also acknowledged and thanked the Turkish Government for its technical support to the Monrovia and Paynesville City Corporations, the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation as well as the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. She welcomed with delight, Turkish pledge of continuous support to Liberia’s reconstruction process.

She also alluded to the similarities in the foreign policies of the two governments, amongst which are the support to the improvement of the international climate, respect for human dignity of all peoples irrespective of race, religion or association; and the promotion of global peace and stability within the United Nations framework.

President Sirleaf assured the new Turkish envoy of her government’s fullest support during the discharge of his duties near this capital.

Presenting his Letters of Credence earlier, Ambassador Sentürk Uzun extended warm greetings from his President, His Excellency Abdullah Gül, and sincere wishes for the prosperity of the people of Liberia and her personal wellbeing.

He said Turkey is keen to share its development experience with Liberia and other countries within his jurisdiction especially humanitarian diplomacy, a key pillar of Turkish foreign policy, adding, that believing that the 21^st century will be Africa’s century, Turkey will continue to nurture the strategic partnership with Africa.

Ambassador Uzun, whose resident in Accra, Ghana, acknowledged that as Turkey highly relishes the friendship with Liberia, his government has instructed him to work for the strengthening of cordial relations as well as promote mutual beneficial cooperation between both countries. “During my tenure here, I will not fail to carry out this instruction to the best of my ability,” the new Turkish Ambassador to Liberia promised.

He stressed that despite the distance that separates the two countries, the Turkish Government is willing to develop, wherever possible, economic, commercial and technical cooperation with Liberia to the mutual benefit of both countries and peoples.

The new Turkish Ambassador disclosed that in recent years Turkey has improved her contacts and existing cooperation with Africa, and his government is willing and ready to explore with Liberia all existing opportunities for the mutual benefits of both countries as well as to contribute to the development efforts of the people of Liberia.

Ambassador Uzun, who is accredited to Sierra Leone and Ghana also, said Turkey is committed to the goal of achieving peaceful relations among nations and pledged his country’s full support to effort aimed at improving international climate and the promotion of global peace and stability within the United Nations framework. “The principles of the Turkish foreign policy are strongly opposed to oppression,” he said.

He said given the similarities of the two countries foreign policy objectives, he is confident that the coming years will witness frequent consultations between Turkey and Liberia. “Your Excellency, it will be an honor as well as a rewarding experience for me if I can make some contribution to the development of the relations of our two countries in the course of my accreditation here in Liberia,” he said.