From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The Republic of Turkey and the Federal Government, have pledged total support and cooperation towards the deepening of bilateral ties between both countries.
The pledge to deepen ties between Nigeria and Turkey was made when the Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Zubairu Dada, received in audience, the newly appointed Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Hidayet Bayraktar.
The pledge, according to Ambassador Dada, was to enable Ambassador Bayraktar discharge his responsibility efficiently in the country.
Ambassador Dada who said the relationship between Nigeria and Turkey was impressive, added that with the assumption of office of Ambassador Bayraktar, the relationship between Nigeria and Turkey would be taken to the next level.
Ambassador Dada commended the former Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Melih Ulueren, for his commitment and steadfastness during his tour of duty in Nigeria.
The Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, pledged to give the same support and even more to the new Turkish envoy.
While commending the Republic of Turkey for its support to Nigeria in the areas of education and commerce, Ambassador Dada called for more investment from Turkish investors, especially in the area of critical infrastructure such as road.
He said Nigeria is ready to support any country or organization with genuine interest to invest in the country.
Ambassador Dada further said Nigeria can benefit a lot from the capacity of Turkey, particularly in the area of combating terrorism.
In his remarks, Ambassador Bayraktar said Turkey and Nigeria have similar challenges and as such, could benefit from each other’s experiences.
The envoy expressed the readiness of the Republic of Turkey to assist Nigeria to tackle the security challenges bedevilling the country.
Ambassador Bayraktar equally emphasised the need for an increased relationship between the two countries in the areas of security, culture and economy.