Somalia wants Turkey to encourage Somaliland for "unity"

By Fatih Erel

Somali's State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mohamed Nur Ga’al said Somali government is grateful for Turkey's mediation between Somalia and Somaliland.

"Somali government is committed to keeping the Somali people united and will do what ever it takes to achieve that. We also are very grateful with Turkish government for facilitating the talks between Somali government and Somaliland," Ga'al said in the AA interview in Turkish capital Ankara.

 "The third round of talks will take place in Turkey in November" -

Indicating that there was already two round of talks that took place in Turkey, Ga'al said the third round of talks will take place in Turkey next month.

"We would like to see Turkish government to continue the effort of supporting a united Somalia and to encourage Somaliland that it's in the best interest of all Somalis to remain "united", stable and prosperous.

"And we hope this latest round of talks that will take place in November will actually produce a lasting settlement for this issue," Ga'al added.

 Somalia discussing how to redevelop

 For the economic situation in Somalia, Ga'al said, "Somali has been through a 22 years civil war which actually destroyed all sectors of Somali economy." 

"Somalia has been discussing how to redevelop and reconstruct Somali economy. Somali will come back and will come strong with the help of their friend such as Turkey," Ga'al highlighted.

Ga'al said "we do not want to continue receiving assistance, we want to have an economy and sustainable livelihood for all Somali people."

"We have a lot of untapped resources in our country and we can be self sufficient if we put in place the right policies," said Ga"al.

 "Somalia government controls the entire country except two small cities"

Indicating that on August 19, 2011, some part of Mogadishu were controlled by Al-Shabaab, (Terrorist group), Ga'al said, today Somalia government controls the entire country except two small cities.

"With help of our Turkish brothers and other friends we will defeat Al-Shabaab and bring stability and security to the whole of Somalia, God willing," Ga'al added.

"We are encouraging for all humanitarian agencies to focus on those newly liberated areas by al-Shabaab"

Reminding that Turkish humanitarian assistance for Somalia was very important and a life saver especially during the drought and the famine in Somalia in 2011, Ga'al said, humanitarian assistance has been needed recently in liberated cities by al-Shabaab.

"We want to thank both Turkish people and Turkish government for their tirelessly assistance to Somali people in 2011," Ga'al said.

Ga'al added, "but right now the need of humanitarian assistance has actually only remained in the area where there were towns and cities that have been recently liberated from al-Shabaab group, those are the areas that mostly needed the assistance right now."

"And we are encouraging for all humanitarian agencies to focus on those newly liberated areas," Ga'al added.

 Humanitarian aid to Somalia needed for upcoming religious holiday

 "The Feast of Sacrifice is one of the things Somali people have received assistance for from Turkey,"Ga'al told AA for Turkey's effort for humanitarian aid to Somalia during the religious Bairams in recent years.

For the upcoming Festival of Sacrifice, Ga'al said "Also, right now, we continue to have kind of the asssistance for the religious festival in the area we think it is mostly needed."

"We thank Turkish people particularly because they actually participated in this religious festival donations with their money and we appreciate that," Ga'al concluded.

englishnews@aa.com.tr