Somali supermodel Iman thanks Turkish first lady

By Canberk Yuksel

NEW YORK (AA) - Somali supermodel and entrepreneur Iman has thanked Turkish First Lady Emine Erdogan for Ankara's humanitarian aid efforts towards Somalia.

Erdogan attended the Fashion for Development (F4D) event as part of the launch of the annual UN General Assembly.

The runway show and awards ceremony held in New York's Pierre Hotel on Wednesday saw the award-winning model thank Erdogan during her speech from the podium.

Turkey opened its largest embassy in Somalia's capital Mogadishu last year, to help the east African country fight drought.

More than six million people -- half of the country's population -- is facing severe drought and a cholera outbreak, which claimed at least 1,000 lives this year, according to the UN.

Last August, a Turkish Airlines cargo plane carrying over 60 tons of food aid arrived in Mogadishu.

Since 2011, Turkish Airlines has been the only international air carrier serving Somalia.