Turkey sends its first aid plane to drought-stricken Somalia

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday set today as the departure date for Turkey's first cargo plane of aid to Somalia, marking the initiation of a Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA)-led aid campaign to the country, which is suffering its worst famine and drought in 60 years. "Turkey will send its first cargo plane to Mogadishu from Ankara on Monday, and we will continue to send aid by plane and ship," Erdogan was quoted as saying by the Anatolia news agency in Istanbul. Erdogan added that the Turkish nation is unified in its efforts to "give a helping hand" to the needy, citing the many aid drives being carried out by the Religious Affairs Directorate, the Red Crescent (Kizilay), and private non-governmental groups all over the country. In related news, yesterday European Union Affairs Minister and Chief EU Talks Negotiator Egemen Bagis announced another humanitarian aid campaign for African. "In the atmosphere of abundance of the holy month of Ramadan, we cannot be indifferent to the tragedy faced by our African friends, and so we are mobilizing to extend a helping hand to Somalia and Africa," said Bagis.