International aid begins to arrive in Somalia, hit by an unprecedented drought and famine. The European Union announced on Wednesday the launch, until Sunday, of an airlift to bring aid to the most remote areas. And the new head of state has completed a highly publicized three-day official visit to one of the most advanced countries in support of his country: Turkey.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan went all out to welcome his Somali counterpart. Among other things, he offered him a review of his honor guard, a visit to the 6,000 Somali soldiers trained by Turkey, a blue carpet in the colors of Somalia to enter his presidential palace, and all this in front of the cameras. public television.
But he also made an announcement: a Turkish diplomatic effort to get Russia to unblock and transport Ukrainian wheat, which Mogadishu would acquire.
The food crisis is indeed very serious in Somalia. The European Union also simultaneously launched an airlift on Wednesday and until Monday: 60 to 70 special flights are to bring food and medical equipment from the NGO Action contre hunger. Financial aid of 140 million euros was also announced by the European Commissioner for International Partnerships.
The fact remains that Turkey remains Somalia’s tutelary partner. Erdogan is an old ally of Somali President Hassan Cheikh Mohamoud, who was already president between 2012 and 2017. The Turkish president has also revealed that his country has already spent more than a billion dollars in development aid for the old Ottoman trading post.
Bugün Somali Cumhurbaşkanı, aziz kardeşim Hasan Şeyh Mahmud ve heyetini Ankara’da ağırlamaktan memnuniyet duydum.
Türkiye Somalili kardeşlerinin yanında yer almaya devam edecektir. ???? pic.twitter.com/1iIOrIBBIQ
— Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (@RTErdogan) July 6, 2022