Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohammed Ali stated, “Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was sent to Somalia by God. After his arrival, international interest in our country increased.”
Speaking to Anadolu Agency during his visit to Istanbul for the “2nd Somali Conference,” Ali emphasized Turkey’s contribution to Somalia’s progress and development, saying, “Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was sent to Somalia by God. After his arrival, international attention to our country rose significantly.”
Ali reminded that Turkey has provided scholarships to 2,000 Somali students, underlining that this will help build a skilled workforce for Somalia’s future.
Highlighting Somalia’s geographical and strategic importance, Ali said, “Our country is rich in both underground and surface resources. Turkey is a technologically advanced country. Cooperation between these two Muslim countries in commercial and cultural fields will be beneficial for both.”
Noting Somalia’s transition from chaos and instability toward peace and stability, Ali said that starting August this year, the country will have a small but effective parliament, a new constitution, and a new government, thereby establishing a new political structure.
Desire to Build a Democratic and Constitutional State
Ali expressed their aim to erase the scars of conflict in the country: “We want to build a democratic and constitutional country that is peaceful within itself and maintains good relations with its neighbors.”
He described the armed opposition group Al-Shabaab as a “terrorist organization,” stating that with the cooperation of the African Union peacekeeping force and the Somali army, Al-Shabaab was expelled from the capital Mogadishu in August 2011. Since then, progress has been made both in terms of stability and the economy.
Regarding their ongoing fight against extremist groups and terrorists, Ali said, “Our goal is to push Al-Shabaab into the country’s most remote regions.”