Turkey and Somalia sign $100m deal to build new parliament

Construction works for new Federal Parliament buildings will kick off late this year at a cost of $100m to be financed by the Turkish government.

This follows the signing of agreement between the Lower House speaker Mohamed Jawari and Turkish ambassador to Somalia Olgan Bekar ahead of the re-opening of Parliament Saturday.

The project will be in two phases with the first one being the construction of temporary structure for the Lower House as the current building is demolished to pave way for new buildings which will house both chambers of the federal parliament.

A built description notes the project will commence end of this year or early 2019. “With the help of the sister Republic of Turkey, the construction of the new building of the House of the Nation which shall accommodate both Houses of the (SFP) Somali Federal Parliament is expected to start before the end of this year or early 2019.”

The temporary premises of the Lower House will be completed by the end of this year, the statement reads noting tendering of the process has been finalized.

Jawari said last week in a public forum the construction will cost $100m to be built by the Turkish government. The construction of new parliament adds to several other projects by the Turkish government including the refurbishment of the Aden Adde Airport in Mogadishu and Digfer hospital among others.