Turkey, Somalia celebrate 10 year anniversary of close friendship

By Mohammed Dhaysane

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AA) - Turkey and Somalia celebrated 10 years of a close relationship in the capital Mogadishu on Thursday.

Deputy Prime Minister Khadar Guiled, senior government officials and Turkish Ambassador to Somalia Mehmet Yilmaz attended the ceremony.

“Today we are commemorating the tenth anniversary of brotherhood and friendship between Somalia and the Republic of Turkey. President Erdogan visited Somalia on the 19th of August 2011, at that time Somalia was in need because of dire famine and severe drought,” said Information Minister Osman Dubbe.

Guiled said friendship and brotherly relations have achieved solid gains in the state-building process in Somalia.

"The ten years of brotherly relationship between Somalia and Turkey, tangible progress have been achieved including education, health, business relationship, economic development, bilateral relations, rebuilding of Somali national army and diplomacy," he said.

Most of the government revenue comes from the Mogadishu airport and port, which Turkey contributed greatly to reviving, according to Somali Finance Minister Abdirahman Duale Beileh.

"President @RTErdogan’s historic visit to #Mogadishu ten years ago today, has been a source of inspiration for the whole world and raised #Somalia’s hopes,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a tweet. “We will continue to stand by friendly and brotherly #Somalia.”