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Somali peace foremost priority, says Turkish FM

May 27, 2012 · 2935813 Comments2012-05-27+19%3A10%3A15goth+Mohamed

ANKARA — Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has emphasized that resolving the conflict situation in Somalia is one of Turkey’s highest foreign policy priorities, as peace in Somalia would mean peace in a large area covering Africa, the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.

Delivering a speech at a gathering of representatives of Somali civil society groups in İstanbul on Sunday, the foreign minister underlined Turkey’s role in contributing to a stable economic and political environment in Somalia. “While the entire world was looking to Somalia from the outside and holding conferences [on the situation in the country] in foreign capitals, Turkey has sent its most active civil society groups and aid organizations into Somalia, to be able to demonstrate that we share a common fate with Somalia,” he asserted. He further maintained that Turkey sees Somalia as neither an area of interest nor as a risk or security threat, but as a place where humanity’s conscience would be tested.

İstanbul is preparing to host its second major international conference on Somalia on Thursday, titled “Preparing Somalia’s Future: Goals for 2015,” a high-level meeting expected to be attended by presidents, prime ministers and ministers from 54 nations, as well as UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary-General Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu and Commission of the African Union chairperson Jean Ping. On Sunday Somali civil society groups gathering in İstanbul also selected a delegation from their number to speak at a political session of the conference on Thursday.

İstanbul was the venue of the first major global conference on the political conflict in Somalia in May 2010.

Davutoğlu highlighted that Turkey has fulfilled all promises made to Somalia, and recalled several visits to the country by both himself and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to improve their contribution to the nation’s peace. He also mentioned the regular flights initiated by Turkey’s national carrier Turkish Airlines (THY) to Mogadishu from İstanbul, claiming, “İstanbul is currently the door for Somalia to open to the world and will continue to be so.”

Turkey has sent $365 million (TL 640 million) in cash and in-kind aid to Somalia over the past year, according to the Prime Ministry’s Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate (AFAD). Famine killed 29,000 children in Somalia last year, and Turkey has spearheaded projects to send aid to the conflict and drought-stricken country.

Meanwhile, Abukar Arman, Somali special envoy to the US, touted Turkey’s involvement in Somalia as “a model worthy of emulation,” writing also in a statement released on Saturday that Turkey’s aid campaign is “not about how much money is raised or poured into a system, but how strategically those dollars are invested.”

Today’s Zaman

May 27, 2012

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By goth Mohamed

Tags: Istanbul II, Somalia, Summit, Turkey

mohamed cheers says:

Sounds all well and good on the part of Turkey's central model role of pro-western and pro-Eastern
World ideological differences all put together in one big basket networking systems.
What Turkey is doing in Somalia is clearly applaudable and appreciable. The biggest crisis of the global
village is the Middle East crisis and how Turkey could make also a big differences remains to be seen?
Notwithstanding Turkey, the 54 Nations,UNSEC-GENeral,OICsec-General and Commison of the AU Chairperson, should also understand that without finding lasting solutions to the Middle-east aging
crisis of the Century, the Middle-East being the core evil axis effecting world comprehensive peace
without which the whole global village combined could ever embrace perpetual peace. History has it,
even the doomsday would come from the M-E? Alas, but Almighty God is great and we all turn into
his mercy and compassion for our dare devil man made nasty crisis of all kinds.
Cheers

3:26 pm on May 27, 2012

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Xarago says:

International community now giving attention to Somalia is amazing Allhamdullilah, Turkey shows us they are brother to us. I can smell peace is coming soon Somali people will defeat those who are obstacle the peace and security of the nation. Somalia is heading the right direction inshaallah.

4:32 pm on May 27, 2012

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Patriotic says:

This is new opportunity intended to solve Somalis differences based on common interest. Turkey is trying to break a deal for Somalis away from regional and overseas colonial interests who always control the outcome of any Somali conference. i would like to urge those delegation to solve the deep rooted differences among Somali elders. all in all it is good step taken toward prevailing peace in Somalia. we Ask Allah to bring our hearts together for the sake of peace.

6:47 pm on May 27, 2012

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Kayse says:

Turkey is lauded for its role in Somalia no doubt but things are not all as they appear. Turkey like all nations is also after its own interest.

Turkey is said to be the next emerging powers both militarily and economically and the Turks feel in order to stay on that cause, like China and India, they too must race for access to known raw materials. I don't know if you know but one thing thats hurting the Turkish economy is energy, just in the first Q1 (last three months) Turkey imported $15billion worth of crude oil. They saying by the end of the year it could be $65billion.

Most of these energy comes from Iran, a regional rival and Turkey does not want to depend on a regional rival. Iran wants to dominate the region and Turkey wants that title…besides Turkey says if Iran builds nuclear energy, they will too.

Turkey has had plans for establishing nuclear power generation since 1970. Today, plans for nuclear power are a key aspect of the country's aim for economic growth.

• Recent developments have seen Russia take a leading role in offering to finance and build 4800 MWe of nuclear capacity.

• Application has been made for construction and operating licences for the first plant, at Akkuyu.
• South Korea, Japan, China and Canada are investigating bidding for a second nuclear plant.

Its other plans include Somalia which they feel has both large deposits of uranium for its nuclear plants and oil reserves. The Uranium in Somalia is also wanted by Iran. This is why Turkey and Iran are racing for Somalis hearts and minds—every time Turkey sends aid ship, Iran sends two.

Now you know why Turkey is crazy about Somalia.

7:07 pm on May 27, 2012

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- Kayse says:
  
  The Turks are playing the "Muslim brothers" card well and Turkey has advantage over Iran; 1: Somalis are Sunni and secondly Turkey is trusted by the West.
  
  Somalis have to decide what they want to do with their resources.
  
  7:10 pm on May 27, 2012
  
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  - mohamed cheers says:
    
    Surely the TFG is in no mental health to grasp all these smart bs you are comtemplating upon.
    Besides the TFG is almost done and then Somalia falls apart with roadmap 1+2 coming into play.
    Turkey is part of that setup nothing more or less. Both Turkey and Iran are not the only two interested
    in the affairs of Somalia. Somalia as a failed state without real Govt have become a playground for
    many foreign interests.
    Cheers.
    
    10:35 pm on May 27, 2012
    
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Noor says:

Well I think that disporay peoples will now consider and start too return tof somaliland, , and parts of somalia , I think the stablenesss of a few areas are well ok too return too and something too consider about

2:08 am on May 28, 2012

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sauron says:

Turkey and somalia are friends and always will be, they have done nothing but help somalia. the au and un and "human rights" organizations can go to hell all they ever do is sabotage and war crimes and cover ups.
africa is full of evil nations.

5:00 am on May 28, 2012

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Istanbul says:

Dear Kayse,

All you wrote is breaking all the Turkish Muslim People heart.
If there is some recourses, USA and EU had already send some aid to Somalia.
All the aid sent by Turkey was just collected in Juma prayer.
On the other hand Iran did nothing till Turkey sending aid.

You are just confusing Muslim Turkish people with colonialist western nations

2:21 pm on May 28, 2012

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khaatumo citizen says:

exactly Iran can kiss a *** Turkey are really sincere helping Somali people.

3:40 pm on May 28, 2012

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Kayse says:

Istanbul,

Somalis are grateful for Turkey, Turks and Recep Tayyip Erdogan is the best Turkish leader ever. He redirected Turkey at a time when most Turks sold their soul and religion and culture for EU membership, today EU wants Turkey.

5:56 pm on May 28, 2012

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bashir says:

from the times of ottomans somalis and turks had relation. che
ck wikipedia

11:22 pm on May 28, 2012

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Kaligiis jabhad says:

Thank you our Moslim brothers of Turkey…. you did your part. All we need to do as Somalis is make sure those who agreed on Istanbul conference should not be allowed to race to Addis to discredit the effort they usually do. Anyone who attempts sabotage the outcome of the conference should be held accountable and bring to justice. we can let this opportunity go by, unless we are sick and animals …

3:02 pm on May 30, 2012

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