Somalia |
Turkey |
Somalia–Turkey relations refers to the current and historical relations between Somali Republic and Republic of Turkey. Turkey is represented in Somalia, through its embassy in Nairobi, Kenya. Turkey's embassy had served in Mogadishu (capital of Somalia) till 1991, but later the embassy was closed due to security reasons. In 2011, Turkey decided to re-open its embassy in Somalia.
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In 2011, a severe drought was affecting the entire East Africa region.[1] Said to be "the worst in 60 years",[2] the drought has caused a severe food crisis that threatened the livelihood of more than 12 million people in Somalia and neighbouring countries.[3] On August 19, 2011, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan went to Somalia to draw international attention to the East African country's drought and famine situation. He became the first leader from outside Africa to visit Somalia in nearly two decades. Erdogan, who was accompanied on the trip by his wife, daughter and an entourage consisting of cabinet members and their families, visited refugee camps and hospitals in Somalia to witness the devastation caused by the severe drought.
Turkey will open an embassy in Mogadishu and take several measures to help Somalia improve its infrastructure, which include digging wells to improve water supply, building a major hospital, six field hospitals and a highway from the Mogadishu Airport to the city center, as well as facilities for waste management to clean up Mogadishu's rubbish-strewn streets, Erdoğan said. He said Housing Development Administration of Turkey (TOKİ) will also build houses and schools in the famine-hit country.
A week later, the Turkish Prime Ministry Disaster & Emergency Management Directorate said that Turkish people collected a total of $201 million in donations for Somalia since the aid campaign started August 1. Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed was quoted in the Hurriyet newspaper as calling Prime Minister Erdogan's visit to Somalia an “historic gesture.”[4]
Turkey contributes with TCG Giresun (F 491) for the NATO Operation Ocean Shield.[5] During its mission off Somalia, TCG Giresun captured a total of 26 Somali pirates. The crew of the frigate boarded MV Guanabara and MV Full City when they were attacked by pirates. She also saved as Yemeni fishing boat, captured by the pirates and used as mother ship.[6]
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