Turkey sends drought-hit Somalia 50 tons of relief

Posted on Aug 9 2011 - 7:39am by Mogadishu Desk
Tweet
Pin It

 

Mogadisho (Turkey)

“Whatever the reason behind poverty and famine in Somalia, we are all responsible. The situation is a shame for humankind … and we can remedy that by working hand in hand,” Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ said at a ceremony in Ankara before the planes departed.

“More cargo planes will be flying [to Somalia] tomorrow and then more aid, collected from all over Turkey, will be taken to Somalia – some on cargo planes and some on sea vessels,” Bozdağ said.

Speaking at the same ceremony, Health Minister Recep Akdağ said Monday’s shipment included 10 tons of medical supplies. The rest was food intended to sustain 1,500 families for a month, including baby food, milk powder, sugar, oil and flour.

A Turkish medical team is ready to go to Somalia to set up field hospitals, provided that their safety is ensured, Akdağ said.

The head of the Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency, Serdar Çam, flew to Somalia on one of the planes.

Also Monday, the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey, or TOBB, launched its own fund-raising campaign with a donation of 1 million Turkish Liras.

“I am calling on the Turkish business community to contribute. I am urging everybody to help,” TOBB chairman Rıfat Hisarcıklıoğlu said.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Saturday issued a memorandum calling on all institutions to launch aid campaigns to help Africa, particularly Somalia.

Two Turkish cargo planes carrying 50 tons of humanitarian aid flew to drought-hit Somalia on Monday while officials confirmed that more flights would soon follow as a nationwide campaign to help millions facing famine gathered steam. 

 

turkey-sends-drought-hit-somalia-50-tons-of-relief-2011-08-08_lMogadisho (Turkey) :-Two Turkish cargo planes carrying 50 tons of humanitarian aid flew to drought-hit Somalia on Monday while officials confirmed that more flights would soon follow as a nationwide campaign to help millions facing famine gathered steam.

“Whatever the reason behind poverty and famine in Somalia, we are all responsible. The situation is a shame for humankind … and we can remedy that by working hand in hand,” Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ said at a ceremony in Ankara before the planes departed.

“More cargo planes will be flying [to Somalia] tomorrow and then more aid, collected from all over Turkey, will be taken to Somalia – some on cargo planes and some on sea vessels,” Bozdağ said.

Speaking at the same ceremony, Health Minister Recep Akdağ said Monday’s shipment included 10 tons of medical supplies. The rest was food intended to sustain 1,500 families for a month, including baby food, milk powder, sugar, oil and flour.

A Turkish medical team is ready to go to Somalia to set up field hospitals, provided that their safety is ensured, Akdağ said.

The head of the Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency, Serdar Çam, flew to Somalia on one of the planes.

Also Monday, the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey, or TOBB, launched its own fund-raising campaign with a donation of 1 million Turkish Liras.

“I am calling on the Turkish business community to contribute. I am urging everybody to help,” TOBB chairman Rıfat Hisarcıklıoğlu said.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Saturday issued a memorandum calling on all institutions to launch aid campaigns to help Africa, particularly Somalia.