Istanbul conference milestone for Somalia

ISTANBUL - Anatolia News Agency

The second Istanbul Conference on Somalia’s was a milestone for his country, said Somalia President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed in his speech at the event yesterday.

Saving Somalia from the current tragedy and founding a habitable state is the common will of conference participants, Ahmed said.

Thanking Turkey for its support on Somalia, the president said it was meaningful the event was held in Istanbul, a city known for its history and civilization.

Somalia has always had expectations of Turkey, he said.

“Turkey responded [to] these expectations with its non-governmental organizations [and] political officials. The Somalia conference will become a starting point for a new era in terms of international efforts,” Ahmed said.

The time for promises was over. Today was the day for practice, he said.

Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti extended military assistance to Somalia, Ahmed said, stressing that military and security assistance was important to end terrorism in the country.

Somalia’s transition government was cooperating with national and international actors, he said, adding that they wanted national resources to be shared equally and management to be transparent.