Turkey’s Somali policy presents model, PM says

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

‘Turkey and Somalia should act together for the future of Somalia,’ says Somali PM. AA photo

Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali said Turkey’s activities in Somalia presented a concrete model.

“I hope other countries take Turkey as an example,” said Mohamed Ali in his speech at the opening of the second Istanbul Conference on Somalia yesterday.

Noting that Turkish-Somali ties are rooted in the past, Mohamed Ali said Somalia had been under the protection of the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century. “Turkey has always supported Somalia; Turkey and Somalia should act together for the future of Somalia,” Mohamed Ali said, adding that the international community would be successful only if it worked cooperatively for the future of Somalia. Somalia wants to be included in a global economic zone in the East Africa region, Ali said, adding that they wanted to focus on exports more than imports.

“Somali is on the eve of being reborn. We have achieved very good results out of the developments in the last nine months and peace. I would like to thank Turkey and our friends.”

In an interview with the Anatolia news agency, Mohamed Ali said international interest in Somalia had increased after Turkish Prime Minister

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to the country. “God sent Erdoğan to Somalia,” he said. Mohamed Ali said Somalia had geographical and strategic importance, adding that Somalia had rich underground and ground resources, while Turkey had developed in technology.

Cooperation between the two Muslim countries in commercial and cultural areas would be beneficial, he said.