EDITORIAL One of the hottest stories in Somalia this week is the state of relations between Somalia and Turkey. Ankara has scored many points from politicians and government officials by helping to alleviate Somalia’s day-to-day problems.
From humanitarian aid to grants to security support, little has been found in Turkey in Somalia that did not go as planned.
The story began in August 2011. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, then Prime Minister of Turkey, arrived in Mogadishu as Somalia was battling one of the worst droughts in nearly five decades. to settle in local camps as well as in refugee camps in neighboring Kenya.It was a sad story as media around the world published stories of dying babies suffering from malnutrition.
Through his visit to Mogadishu, Erdogan became the first world leader to visit Somalia in his years after Siad Barre. But breaking the ice of fear by traveling to Somalia was only the first victory. Turkey has also shown the world that Somalia needs help and that Ankara will be the first to help.
The Turkish foreign minister said in a statement on Thursday that the visit ten years ago marked a historic turning point and was “an inspiration for the whole world and aroused hope in Somalia”.
It is real that Turkey reconnected handiest ten years ago. These international locations had been related for 3 centuries, specially thru trade, however additionally politically and culturally throughout the Ottoman Empire. So it’s far feasible that Turkey is aware of some thing approximately Somalia that others did not. Somalia, a resource-wealthy united states of america, simply wished a lift to show its humans right into a efficient lot.
Since then, Turkish officers say they’ve injected Somalia with around $ 1 billion in protection guide, humanitarian useful resource and different socio-financial programs. Yet given the size of the troubles the united states of america determined itself in, it is able to be comprehensible that even Turkish guide has but to carry returned all of Somalia’s mojo.
So in which ought to relationships be heading from now on? We suppose ten years has served sufficient lessons. The Turkish humans have in large part remained outdoor Somali politics, not like many different companions in Mogadishu.
But that does not suggest they don’t have any political choice to interact with Somalia. Ten years ago, Erdogan visited a displaced folks camp observed with the aid of using the then president, Sheikh Sharif Ahmed.
The united states of america had simply transitioned to a federal government. Erdogan’s gesture of protecting the arm of a malnourished toddler has emerge as a the front web page description of the state of affairs in Mogadishu.
This truely helped push the donations ahead into the disaster on the time. Today, Somalia nevertheless faces antique challenges: insecurity, drought, terrible infrastructure and normally collapsed institutions.
The subsequent ten years of Somalia-Turkey family members have to are searching for to rebuild institutions. It isn’t totally real that Turkey is apolitical in Somalia. Somali political leaders can be sympathetic to Ankara or disgusted, that can have an effect on the intensity of Turkey’s engagement with Somalis.
There is even proof from the ultimate 3 presidents that their stage of engagement has differed, in all likelihood due to the fact all of these leaders have exclusive perspectives on Turkey.
By building permanent institutions like the military, government agencies, and other structures, Tukey can help stabilize Somalia regardless of who is in power. At present, Somalia needs not only humanitarian aid, but also a systematic transfer of skills to help its emerging industries or sectors, which Turkey can put to practical use with its developed technology and human resources.
This is useful for Somalia in the long term, as Mogadishu is not Turkey’s only “friend” in Africa. Indeed, Turkey’s Political Initiative for Africa, launched in 1998, has garnered great influence across the continent. Turkey has increased its number of embassies in Africa from 12 to 44 in 20 years and more African countries have opened embassies in Turkey to 36.Turkey has been an observer member of the African Union since 2005 and says it is in “historical experience, political and cultural accumulation … and resources” to strengthen ties with the continent.
And Ankara says that it does this by building political, humanitarian, economic and cultural ties on a bilateral, regional, continental and global level. To do this, they need peaceful, stable and safe countries with which they can get involved. for Somalia that such links focus on the establishment of government organizations capable of delineating individual political ambitions.
AXADLETM
