Wrapping up talks in London after
Thursday’s summit on Somalia, Davutoğlu urged the international
community to bolster the strength of African Union (AU) peacekeeping
forces and provide them with more resources, saying Turkey is ready to
provide such assistance, at a press conference.
In 2010, Turkey signed an agreement to train Somali soldiers at a UN-backed international Somalia summit in İstanbul.
The AU, a regional body consisting of 54 African states, maintains an
African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) as part of the peace mission
to stabilize the security situation in the country, along with Kenyan
and Ethiopian troops. Somalia has been in a state of anarchy since 1991,
when warlords overthrew longtime dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and then
turned on each other.
Davutoğlu highlighted Turkey’s important role in mediating between
conflicting factions in Somalia, saying that Turkey would continue to
provide all kinds of support to establish permanent peace in the
country. Davutoğlu claimed that Somalia is currently passing through an
important political phase, adding, “All the conflicting parties [in
Somalia] respect Turkey, that is the reason they give importance to
Turkey’s presence in the mediation process.”
Denying claims that Turkey and France are battling to influence the
political transitional process in Somalia, Davutoğlu stressed that by
assisting the country Turkey is only fulfilling its responsibilities to a
country which shares the heritage of the Ottoman Empire, which had
close links with Somalia. He said Turkey is not involved in rivalry with
any country in that sense.
“Turkey extends aid to Somalia as a humanitarian obligation, not as a
result of strategic interests,” Davutoğlu said, adding that Somalis are
grateful to Turkey for its efforts.
“Turkey has kept all its promises towards Somalia in the short time
since last year’s Istanbul conference,” Davutoğlu asserted, highlighting
Turkish efforts to provide medical assistance and develop a diplomatic
presence in the country. Davutoğlu stressed that every country attending
the conference in London referred to Turkey’s efforts and added that
the second international conference in Somali will be held in İstanbul
in June.
Citing that Turkey is one of the few countries that plans to open an
embassy in Mogadishu, Davutoğlu said he called on other countries to
open embassies in Somalia during the conference. The conference brought
together representatives from 40 countries and various international and
regional organizations, such as UN, the World Bank, the Arab League and
the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).