MONROVIA — Turkish Airlines is expanding its reach into West Africa with the expected launch of flights to Liberia, according to Business Insider.
Turkish Airlines flies to 52 domestic and 267 international destinations in 130 countries, excluding those only served by Turkish Airlines Cargo. Following is a list of destinations Turkish Airlines and Turkish Airlines Cargo fly to as part of scheduled services, as of December 2024.
No potential launch dates announced, Business insiders say.
The imminent arrival of Turkish Airlines, one of the world’s leading carriers, follows intense negotiations by the Government of Liberia, MNG, and Turkish authorities. Observers believe the airline’s presence will alleviate travel challenges at the Roberts International Airport (RIA) and significantly enhance Liberia’s economic prospects.
In 2022, under the presidency of George Weah, the Liberian government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with its Turkish counterpart aimed at strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries.
The signing ceremony took place in Ankara, the capital of the Asian nation, with Liberia represented by a high-profile delegation, headed by former Foreign Minister Dee Maxwell Kemayah.
The Liberian team was in Turkey for a five-day official state visit, which began on Wednesday, May 4, 2022. They held discussions with various Turkish stakeholders, including officials from the country’s Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Industry and Technology, Defense and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency.
The Liberian delegation’s visit then was intended to follow up on conversations between the two leaders. Their discussions also centered around bolstering ties in the areas of infrastructure development, as well as the promotion of trade and international cooperation.
Both governments also agreed to open embassy for their counterpart in their respective countries in order to further strengthen diplomatic cooperation. The former Liberian Foreign Minister hailed the new dynamism in relations, noting that although the Liberia-Turkish connection was relatively new, it is “promising”.
Under this country administration, a sustained engagement was launched April this year between Liberian officials and the Turkish Ambassador Huseyn GÜNGÖR in Accra. Many meetings followed and we are now very close
The imminent arrival of Turkish Airlines, one of the world’s leading carriers, follows intense negotiations by the Government of Liberia, MNG, and Turkish authorities. Observers believe the airline’s presence will alleviate travel challenges at the Roberts International Airport (RIA) and significantly enhance Liberia’s economic prospects.
Turkey and Liberia relationship can be traced to 1992 when Turkey opened its doors to Liberian students, and ninety-six (96) University Scholarships for Bachelor and Master’s degrees have been granted to Liberians from various backgrounds.
Turkey provided 100, 000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines to Liberia. The consignment was delivered through the former Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu
With the expected launch of the Turkish Airlines to Liberia, the bilateral trade volume between Liberia and Turkey continues to grow, despite in brief lull in 2018. In the last two years, trade has surged to over three hundred million dollars.