Mogadishu, 25 Jan 2015, (Qalin) – The president of Turkish Reccep Tayyip Erdogan made a landmark visit to Somalia Sunday with a large delegation including ministers businessmen, and parliament members.
Erdogan’s visit is the second time since 2011 when he became the first world leader that visited Somalia after 20 years of civil war after Somalia was hit by chronic famine that resulted in the death of over 250,000 people.
The President of Somalia Hassan sheikh Mohamud and the prime minister received the delegation at the airport where they inaugurated the new terminal of Mogadishu’s Adan Adde International Airport.
“When a flight caring Erdogan the then Turkish Prime Minister landed on
Mogadishu Airport in 2011, it was the day the hope of Somalia was restored” Said President Hassan Sheikh
“Today is a historic day for Somalia people again, your first mission to Somalia was humanitarian assistance to our vulnerable people, but our resilience and development comes after your hands and the help of Turkish people, Somalis became your brothers not only allies, my people of Somalia will not forget you as Reccep Tayyip Erdogan and the people of Turkish in general, welcome to your home-country Somalia, thanks President Erdogan,” Said President Hassan Sheikh
President Erdogan told the hosting president and delegates that are very pleased to arrive in Somalia for the second time in 3 years and expressed his willingness to visit Somalia again when it is on its feed.
“I am happy to visit Somalia again, I have a greeting from the heart of my great people of Turkish,” said Erdogan
President Erdogan cut the robe at the inauguration of the new airport terminal that was constructed by
Turkish government through a private Turkish company in Mogadishu.
“I am thanking the company that constructed this new airport they take our dignity up, I am here to officially inaugurate the terminal by
the grace of God and I will reward this company” said Erdogan
President Erdogan inaugurated other development projects encouraged by the Turkish government funds including the Digfeer Hospital, the biggest and most sophisticated hospital built in Somalia by the Turks.
“I am happy to see Somalia people standing up for development and leaving tough times behind and heading a great future,” said President Erdogan
After the welcoming ceremony at the airport and terminal inauguration the delegation proceed to go around the city and visited Turkish-funded projects including hospitals, roads, schools, and the building of the new Turkish embassy on the beautiful beach in Mogadishu.
Turkey and Somalia have longtime relationship based on diplomatic, commercial and ideology, but these relations didn’t actively function since 2011 when Erdogan visited Mogadishu as the Turkish Prime Minister of that time.
After tour of the projects, President Erdogan’s delegation was headed to the state house in Mogadishu, where the two sides signed bilateral deals including trade, development, sports, culture and marine transport support. The Turkish will help to build ten thousands of houses in Mogadishu and will reconstruct roads, ports, housing facilities and will invest defense and agriculture of Somalia.
Erdogan’s delegation left Mogadishu after they signed the agreements with the Somalia leaders.
By Mukhtar Isaak
