Turks bring hope to Somalia, says UN official

MOGADISHU (A.A) - Deputy Humanitarian Assistance Coordinator of the United Nations (UN) in Mogadishu, Killian Kleinschmidt, said Friday that the Turks not only brought assistance but also hope to Somalia. Representatives of the UNICEF, WHO, OCHA, WFP, UNHCR serving as part of the UN Somali delegation visited the Cezire Tent City erected by the Turkish Red Crescent Aid Society. The UN delegation observed the tent city, took photographs and took notes as head of the Turkish Red Crescent Somali Delegation Hayrettin Gurova and his assistant Alper Kucuk gave information on their works in Mogadishu. Speaking to the AA following their visit to the tent city, Killian Kleinschmidt said that they had heard the excellent works of the Turkish Red Crescent before and wanted to personally visit the tent city built by the Turkish Red Crescent. We have noticed that the Turkish Red Crescent is doing a perfect job. We experience certain difficulty in providing services to thousands of people displaced from their homes. We can say that we experience problems associated with security. We have seen here what could be done if we desired to do it. We have seen that we can do more for over 200,000 people. We have seen the success of the Turkish Red Crescent, Kleinschmidt noted. Somalia is going through an unbelievable development. Somali people living abroad are returning back and establishing companies and markets. This situation shows that Somalia can develop further, Kleinschmidt said. -Turks bring hope to Somalia- Everyone can do something to help the displaced people of Somalia, Kleinschmidt indicated. "I can say that we noticed the Turkish nation, with all its organizations and the Red Crescent Aid Society, is working to meet the needs of the Somali people. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's recent visit to Somalia changed the atmosphere in Somalia. The Turks not only brought assistance but also hope to Somalia. The Turks have shown that businesses could get established and investments could be made in Somalia. The Turkish nation has done all it could in Somalia as part of the international community," Kleinschmidt underlined. The whole international community should not forget Somalia. Everyone must do what is possible to help Somalia after two decades of chaos, Kleinschmidt also said.