Istanbul to donate 30 public transport buses to Mogadishu, Turkish President Erdogan says

By Goobjoog News International Correspondent

The city of Istanbul will donate 30 public transport buses to Mogadishu in a twin city transport capacity support, Turkish president Reccep Tayyip Erdogan Tuesday said.

Speaking in a joint media conference here alongside Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Deputy UN Secretary General Jan Elliason, Erdogan said the support is part of his government’s efforts in infrastructure support for Somalia.
Erdogan added that Istanbul mayor had pledged to provide capacity building support for Mogadishu in building a modern transport system to ease movement and promote trade.
Regarding bilateral support for Somalia, Erdogan said his country will continue its monthly $ 2 million budgetary supplement to enable Somalia meet its fiscal needs as it charts a path to reconstruction.

On his part, Somali president said Turkey’s aid model was exceptional and would have far reaching impact on the growth of Somalia. He noted that unlike billions of dollars which have been pumped into Somalia for decades, the Turkish model has proved effective and practical for economic growth.

“The Turkish aid model has proved to be the most effective donor approach and is even being studied in the word. Its impact in Somalia will be felt for many years,” said Mohamud.

Partnership

President Mohamud said going forward, Somalia’s partnership with the rest of the world will be based on economic recovery. Sounding upbeat on the country’s road to recovery, President Mohamud noted that Somalia will soon take its place in the community of nations as an economic and tourist hub.

President Mohamud noted that his country would soon be the first country in the world to fight extremism in its own soil adding that his government was keen on building security structures including the army and the police.
The leaders spoke after a series of talks Tuesday based on the post New Deal framework in Somalia in Istanbul.

Somalia and international partners agreed on reconstruction arrangement dubbed the New Deal in 2013 whose objective was among others, enhanced and inclusive political process, economic recovery and formation of federal states and constitutional review. The Deal comes to a conclusion in 2016 thus the need to deliberate on the way forward.

Elections
Speaking in the same conference, Deputy UN Secretary General General Jan Elliason said the next six months were crucial for Somalia as it prepares for elections in August when the term of the current administration lapses.
“The next six months is going to be a tough test for Somalia as the country prepares for elections. It is imperative that Somalia develops a concrete national security framework to ensure security for all not just for this period but into the future,” said Elliason.

Elliason said the security of the state was the defining principle in a country’s sovereignty.
The conference continues Wednesday with key note remarks from Somali Interior Minister Abdirahman Mohamed Hussein, Planning minister Abdirahman Yusuf Ainte, Justice minister Abdullahi Jama, and their constitutional affairs counterpart Hussein Mohamed Sheikh.