Somalia, struggling through difficult times due to conflicts and famine, holds deep sympathy for Türkiye, which has stood by them in these trying days. Various Turkish civil society organizations delivered aid to those in need in Somalia during this Eid as well. Somalia's Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs, Salah Sharif Sayid Ali, expressed gratitude to the Turkish people.
The country, suffering from clashes between armed groups linked to the terrorist organization Al-Shabaab and central government forces, faces widespread difficulties due to civil war and famine brought on by drought. A significant portion of the population depends on food aid to survive.
Approximately 7 million people, mostly living in refugee camps, continue to live in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, battling malnutrition and diseases such as cholera.
This Eid al-Adha, various Turkish NGOs again provided aid to those in need in Somalia.
Somali MP and Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Salah Sharif Sayid Ali stated that the Somali people will always be grateful to Türkiye and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who have supported their country in every field and never left them alone in difficult times.
Ali highlighted that Turkish brothers spent the holiday not with their families but alongside needy Somali brothers. He thanked the Turkish people for their charitable acts, including sacrificial meat distribution, digging wells, providing food and clothing, and aid to orphaned children.
Ali also emphasized Türkiye's significant contributions in the health sector, noting that the Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Training and Research Hospital in the capital Mogadishu addresses a major regional need.
The MP shared that Türkiye has opened many schools in Somalia and tens of thousands of Somali students have been educated in Türkiye.
Ali recalled that Somalia-Türkiye relations date back to the Ottoman period. He noted that the Somali army is trained by the Turkish military at the TÜRKSOM Military Training Base in Mogadishu, and the Baykar company has provided great support in the fight against terrorism.
He underscored that relations have advanced significantly since President Erdoğan's visit to Somalia in 2011, adding that Türkiye has the largest embassy complex in Somalia.
"THE TURKISH PEOPLE STOOD BY US WHEN WE NEEDED THEM MOST"
Ali stressed Türkiye's important work toward Somalia's development and concluded:
"Somalia is a country with a very strategic location and a coastline of 3,300 kilometers. The Somali government led by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has agreed with Türkiye on oil and natural gas exploration. The Oruç Reis vessel is currently off the Somali coast and will soon begin operations. The Turkish people stood by us when we needed them most and continue to do so. I express my thanks to our brotherly Turkish people."
