10 May 2017•Update: 10 May 2017
ANKARA
Turkey’s prime minister Wednesday travelled to London to attend a major conference on Somalia.
“Turkey is one of the major countries that provides tremendous support, without any expectation of recompense, for peace and tranquility in Somalia,” Binali Yildirim told reporters at Ankara’s Esenboga Airport before flying to Britain.
The three-day conference, which will discuss Somalia’s future through 2020, lasts through May 12.
The Somali government and international partners, including Turkey, are attending the conference to plan new international partnerships for increasing peace and prosperity, political stability, and development in the Horn of African nation.
Yildirim noted that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s 2011 visit to the war-torn country was the first by a leader from outside Africa in almost 20 years, and served to put the world spotlight on the sufferings from a terrible drought.
Following that visit, the international community started working to solve the crisis in Somalia, the Turkish premier said.
He added that the London conference will review that work and take measures for further peace and development.
Yildirim said that the new administration in Somalia should tackle several problems, including security, the fight against terrorism, constitutional reforms, and establishing public order.
“All these problems could be solved by the leadership of Somalia with the support of the international community and work on the ground,” he stressed.
Yildirim also highlighted that the Turkish government as well as NGOs such as the Turkish Red Crescent, Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) , and the Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD) have been offering emergency and humanitarian assistance in the country to fight the famine crisis.
During his London visit, Yildirim is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with world leaders, including British Prime Minister Theresa May.
*Reporting by Mumin Altas; Writing by Sorwar Alam
