By: Lawrence D. Kawala
Monrovia, Liberia—Following the private jet incident at the Robert International Airport that nearly crashed with President Joseph Nyumah Boakai, the Turkish Government has dispatched a team of investigators to investigate the unfortunate incident that occurred on May 29, 2025.
The deployment of the Turkish investigators is at the request of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Sara Beysolow Nyanti. In April 2025, during a diplomatic engagement, Minister Nyanti formally conveyed to the President of Turkish, H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan the interest of President Boakai in establishing a government-to-government (G2G) partnership to modernize primary international gateway.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs release, President Erdoğan responded positively, committing Türkiye’s technical and financial support to upgrade the airport to international standards and contribute to Liberia’s broader economic development agenda.
This swift intervention underscores Türkiye’s dedication to strengthening bilateral ties and supporting critical infrastructure development in Liberia.
"The delegation will conduct a comprehensive assessment of RIA’s operational capacity," The Foreign Ministry release is quoted.
The delegation is in the following experts: Mr. Levent Şenel, Deputy Head of Mission, Turkish Embassy in Accra; Mr. Süleyman Yılmaz, Civil Engineer; Mr. Bilal Özçelik, Civil Engineer; Mr. Alper Uzun, Air Traffic Controller; Mr. Mert Kayış, Electrical Engineer; Mr. Yavuz Boyuneğmez, Map Technician and Mr. Sefa Kartal, Engineer.
Speaking to the media, Türkiye’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Mr. Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, confirmed the upcoming visit and reaffirmed Türkiye’s readiness to assist Liberia in enhancing RIA’s safety protocols, infrastructure, and operational systems.
“The delegation will assess current conditions and identify areas in need of urgent and long-term support. Today’s emergency deployment marks the beginning of a deeper, strategic partnership,” Minister Uraloğlu stated
This initiative is part of a broader economic diplomacy strategy led by Foreign Minister Nyanti, who is actively engaging international partners to attract foreign direct investment, create jobs, and drive national development through robust infrastructure projects.
