Saturday, June 02, 2012
Somali President Ahmed shakes hands with Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan. AA photo |
“I think, for example, it is time to discuss founding a new and empowered United Nations Mission for Somalia. The U.N. can launch a strategic revision study in Somaliaas an initial step,” Erdoğan said in his speech at the Somaliaconference in Istanbul yesterday.
The tragedy in Somalia does not belong only to the locals, but to all humanity, Erdoğan said, adding that problems in the country will be solved thanks to the unity of the Somali people.
Somalia needs national security bodies for the normalization process, but the country still needs help to maintain its security services, Erdoğan said, adding that althoughTurkey has already headed an international to establish a “fund for restructuring the security sector in Somalia,” the presence of AMISOM, the African Union security force, is still needed. Turkey has decided to grant $1 million to AMISOM this year, as it did in 2009. However, there are many obstacles hindering AMISOM’s ability to act as a local public peace body, the prime minister said.
Turkey’s efforts to create development agencies in Puntland and Galmudug are about to be finalized, Erdoğan said.