Norway’s Ambassador to Ankara Visits Mayor Altay

Norway's Ambassador to Ankara, Andreas Gaarder, visited Konya Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Uğur İbrahim Altay.

Expressing his pleasure over the visit held at the Konya Metropolitan Municipality Stone Building, Mayor Altay said that Konya is one of the most ancient cities of Anatolia.

Mayor Altay said, “Life in this region began with Çatalhöyük, which is on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, and has continued uninterrupted ever since. Konya is also an ancient capital— a city that served as the capital of the Seljuk civilization for 200 years. When you look around, you can see many works from that era. Millions of people visit Konya to understand Rumi and his philosophy.”

Emphasizing that Konya has recently become a leading city, especially in agriculture and industry, Mayor Altay said, “We are in a city that produces not only for itself but also for Turkey and the world. Konya is also one of Turkey’s top cities in agricultural machinery. In addition, it is rapidly climbing the ranks in industrial production. Organized industrial zones and industrial sites now host factories employing thousands of people across various sectors. Today, we have become a city that exports nearly 4 billion dollars annually to over 150 countries. Your visit, accompanied by a business development expert, will make a significant contribution to strengthening commercial and industrial cooperation between Norway and Konya.”

Norway’s Ambassador to Ankara, Andreas Gaarder, also thanked Mayor Altay for his hospitality and said, “As you mentioned, our trade relations go back a long way. We will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the economic ties between our two countries. We have been holding talks with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on how to mark this anniversary. Because the relationship between our countries is strong, friendly, and healthy. That’s why I’m honored to be here.”

Ambassador Gaarder later visited the Digital Promotion Center at the Konya Metropolitan Municipality Stone Building and received information about the facility.