Turks most honest donors to Somalia, says minister

Turkish civil society organizations active in Somalia show marked differences with their Western counterparts, as the former donate directly to Somalia rather than through international bodies and have a presence in the country for no other purpose than helping "their brothers and sisters in Somalia," the country's minister for human development and public services, Maryan Qasim, has said. Qasim, who was in Turkey in late December as part of an official visit, told Today's Zaman during her Istanbul visit that other countries have a practice of donating to the country through the UN, unlike Turkish organizations, which come to Somalia and work directly with the locals opening wells, handing out supplies and building schools. She said this minimized the risk of corruption and bribery, ensuring that the donations get to their intended receivers. During her visit to Ankara, Qasim met with Health Minister Recep Akdag, Family and Social Policy Minister Fatma Sahin and Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag. Her talks centered mostly on cooperation in the fields of education and health. She also visited the headquarters of several civil society groups active in Somalia. The minister confirmed that relations between Turkey and Somalia have been developing rapidly over the past year. She also noted that a Turkish school will soon be active in Somalia. Qasim also called on Turkish entrepreneurs to invest in Somalia. She said Somalia needed businesses to invest in the construction of new hotels and other facilities as well as infrastructure, and called on Turkish construction companies to invest in the country.