ANKARA
Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said Wednesday that Turkey had so far made foreign development aid worth of $2.63 billion.
"Turkey is perhaps the only country in the world to extend a helping hand to those in need together with its state resources and private individual donations. Somalia, Myanmar and Pakistan are the best examples for that joint drive. Our country has made development aid worth of around $2.63 billion so far," Bozdag told a meeting as part of a conference of Turkish ambassadors held in the Turkish capital, Ankara.
Bozdag said Turkey's aid efforts in Somalia were financed almost completely by private donors in Turkey, adding that Turkey has also opened an embassy in the country and the Turkish Airlines had launched direct flights to Mogadishu.
Bozdag said Turkey's international development and cooperation agency TIKA had 33 coordination offices in more than 100 countries.
