News
Benefits of Türkiye-Somalia Partnership: A Discussion on Somalia`s Experience
The president of the Federal Government of Somalia H.E. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was the key speaker at panel discussion themed "Benefits of Türkiye-Somalia Partnership: A Discussion on Somalia`s Experience" on 05/07/2022. The program was organized by the SETA Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research, a Turkish think tank. In his opening speech Prof. Dr. Burhanettin Duran, the General coordinator of SETA and advisor to president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, mentioned the importance of Somalia for the people and government of Türkiye, he underlined that, since the firs landmark visit of then prime minister Erdoğan to Somalia in 2011, Somalia got big place in the hearts of Turkish people as Somalia is the entrance gate to the African continent.
The president of the Federal Government of Somalia gave the key speech before he was asked several important questions by the coordinator of the panel. In his speech the president talked how his government attaches importance to the establishment of accountable, transparent and inclusive institutions which will enable Somalia to be more unified and stable and Somali people will be the at core in the implementation of that vision. Also, president Mohamud emphasized the commitment of his government to undertake social and political reconciliations that will lead Somalia to stable and functioning federal system. In the security issue, the president criticized the previous strategies against Al-shabaab, such as the containment and degrading strategies. He unveiled the new strategy of his administration which is eliminating Al-Shabaab.
In terms of the relations between Somalia and Türkiye, the president talked about the centuries old relations between the two nations. He stated how the historic visit of then prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Mogadishu reinvigorated the mutually beneficial bonds of the two countries in a time where Mogadishu was a place no one goes due to a severe security threats. The relations between the two countries are based on the minds and hearts of the two countries` people who are reviving the shared long history - the president said. As the president underlined it`s not only the humanitarian assistance which derives the Türkiye`s efforts of supporting Somalia, but it`s a value and faith-based sense and that what makes Türkiye`s engagement to Somalia a unique.
The panel were participated by numerous Turkish and Somali officials and intellectuals, among them Türkiye`s ambassador in Mogadishu H.E. Mehmet Yilmaz, Somalia`s ambassador in Ankara H.E. Jama Abdullahi Mohamed, members of the civil society from both Türkiye and Somalia, Somali students and representatives from the Somali community in Türkiye. Also, a delegation from East Africa Association for Research and Development (DAD led by the director general Prof. Dr. Ali Sheikh Ahmed was invited to participate the event where the director general had a special meeting with president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud after the end of the program.
It`s worth to mention, that DAD and SETA are two partner organizations, where they collaborate on the organization of activities and programs, also they continuously exchange experience and information related to Türkiye and East Africa. DAD appreciates SETA for the organization of such an outstanding event which certainly will strength the friendly relations between the Türkiye and East Africa region.
