30 October 2011, Sunday / TODAY'S ZAMAN, İSTANBUL
Turkey continues to invest in Somalia's infrastructure, demonstrating Turkey's commitment to help the drought-afflicted nation establish a foundation for a sustainable, prosperous future.
The Housing Development Administration of Turkey (TOKİ) plans to build a mosque, a hospital, two elementary schools and three prayer rooms in the Somali capital of Mogadishu, the Anatolia news agency reported on Sunday.
"The Somali government has allocated 50 hectares of land for us," TOKİ procurement specialist Ahmet Deniz told Anatolia. The mosque will be able to accommodate 1,000 people, the fully equipped hospital will hold 200 beds and each school will contain 24 classrooms.
Deniz and a research team from TOKİ are in Somalia to survey the property and are making preparations for the construction to begin. “We have been here making observations for the last five days. We have seen the land allocated to us, and we have been examining infrastructure possibilities like drainage systems. We have also been logging the sort of materials and equipment we will need, like sand and cement, for construction,” he said.
Another sign of Turkey's dedication to Somalia is the reopening of the Turkish Embassy in Mogadishu, which is expected to begin offering services in two weeks. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu announced the reopening of the embassy in August, which was closed in 1991 due to security concerns.
Doctors and nurses from Turkey shared their experiences with Anatolia correspondents on Sunday after returning from Somalia, where they provided healthcare under extreme conditions.
The health professionals, who worked in a tent hospital in Mogadishu, said they look forward to a day when Somalia rises above its current plight. "I hope Somalia will face better days in the future and we will visit this country as tourists," pediatrician Enver Erman said. Nurse Serap Doğan said that when they first arrived in the famine-stricken country, the children they treated were suffering from malnutrition and dehydration. Now, the children's health conditions are greatly improved.
All of the nurses and doctors admitted that administering care in Somalia is challenging at the least, but they also readily acknowledged that the experience was a valuable one for both Somalia and Turkey.
Turkey has proven itself to be a leader among the international community in its ongoing support of and humanitarian assistance in Somalia.
Turkey collected more than TL 526 million for Somalia in fundraising drives that began during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, according to data released by the Prime Ministry's Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate (AFAD) on Thursday. Under the coordination of AFAD, Turkey has sent one plane and eight ships transporting nearly 22,000 tons of humanitarian aid worth approximately TL 67 million to the Somali people. Another TL 87 million went to distribution, security services and other costs. The remaining funds have either been distributed through nongovernmental organizations and other organizations or have been reserved for future projects in Somalia.
Somalia has been suffering from the worst drought the region has experienced in the last 60 years as well as dealing with ongoing conflict and terrorist attacks in the region.
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