Turkey’s Ambassador to Mogadishu, Cemalettin Kani Torun, stated that Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ’s visit to Somalia was warmly received by Somali government officials and citizens.
Ambassador Torun evaluated Bozdağ’s two-day visit to Somalia for Anadolu Agency’s team in Mogadishu. He emphasized the increased focus on Somalia following Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit on August 19 and noted that nearly 550 million Turkish Lira had been raised from Turkish citizens, with aid now being invested in projects in Somalia. Initially, assistance focused on humanitarian and food aid, and has since shifted to infrastructure investments.
Torun noted the opening of the Turkish Embassy in Mogadishu on November 1 and the start of coordinated humanitarian aid activities by the embassy. He explained that the first steps of the planned investments were taken during Bozdağ’s visit, with Somali officials, including the Prime Minister and various ministers, attending opening and groundbreaking ceremonies.
Highlighting the positive reception of Bozdağ’s visit by Somali officials and citizens, Torun quoted Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali:
“The United Nations has been conducting humanitarian aid activities in Somalia since 2006. UN officials claim they have transferred $1.2 billion over five years, but we do not know where this aid went. No schools, hospitals, or infrastructure projects were built. Only the Turks have done this. Turkey has done more in three months than the UN has done in five years.” These words from Prime Minister Ali pleased us greatly.
Torun also reminded that Bozdağ will visit Somalia every two months to supervise the projects, saying,
“Deputy Prime Minister Bozdağ’s supervision of Somalia’s investments is very important. All activities here are carried out with donated funds. The Turkish people have the right to know where and how their donations are spent. I believe the inspections by Mr. Bozdağ will be very important in this regard.”