Dear readers,

I am pleased to address you as the Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye in New Zealand. I started my duty on 26 March 2021 in Wellington, having completed the mandatory two-weeks quarantine period due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On our website, you can find information on Turkish foreign policy current developments, in addition to the Embassy activities and announcements.

Geographically the furthest representation of Türkiye, our Embassy in Wellington​​ was opened in 1992 and is still accredited to Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, and Niue.

Despite the geographical distance between Türkiye and New Zealand, historical ties bring us closer to each other. Thousands of New Zealanders from the ANZAC troops lost their lives during the Çanakkale naval and land battles during the First World War. These soldiers now rest in their permanent residences in Gallipoli. In the words of our great leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, "after they lost their lives in this land, they now became our children". Annually on 18 March, "Çanakkale Victory and Martyrs' Day," Türkiye organises commemoration ceremonies, and annually "Anzac Day" is commemorated by New Zealand and Australia on 25 April when a call for love and peace are made.

Today, our bilateral political relations proceed smoothly. A Joint Economic Commission, established in 1990, and the Türkiye-New Zealand Business Council, created in 2012, are the two main initiatives working to improve our economic relations.

I am honoured to undertake my duties as Ambassador in Wellington to contribute to the efforts of furthering our relations with the assistance of my colleagues at the Embassy.

You are always welcome at the Embassy. Please do not hesitate to contact us with your suggestions and opinions on any matter.

Greetings and best regards,

Ömür Ünsay

Ambassador