The President of the Federal Government of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, held a private meeting and press conference in Istanbul with the President of the Republic of Turkey, His Excellency Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, following in-depth discussions.
President Hassan Sheikh pointed out that the cooperation between the two countries is based on preserving the unity and sovereignty of Somalia, combating terrorism, and building strong state institutions, which are central to sustainable development and improving the lives of the Somali people.
“While working to defend our country from anyone who tries to violate its sovereignty and unity, we have not yet stopped devoting ourselves to developing the country’s resources, especially oil, so that the Somali people can benefit from them with prosperity and progress,” the President said.
The President also announced that the exploration of oil and natural gas in the Somali sea has produced promising results, which mark the beginning of a new era in economic recovery, job creation, and investment in basic services.
“As promised, we have been working to identify and extract the country’s resources, especially oil. Thank God, today the fruits of those efforts have begun. It is a historic national achievement,” added President Hassan Sheikh.
The President also stated that natural resources belong to the Somali people, and that the management of these resources will be based on accountability, justice, and the protection of the rights of future generations.
Finally, the Somali President said that the path Somalia is on is balanced, while defending national unity, fighting terrorism, and ensuring economic development and a better life than before.
