Somalia on Sunday signed an agreement with Turkish Cooperation and Coordination agency (Tika) rebuild Reservoir and Water Supply projects to help address water issues in the nation.
The signing of the agreement was witnessed by Somali deputy Prime Minister, Mahdi Mohamed Guleed, ministers for trade and Agriculture, Turkey’s ambassador to Somalia, Olgan Beker, farmers and traders.
The projects which will see the reconstruction of the Jowhar Off-Stream Storage Reservoir (JOSSR) is aimed at controlling flooding downstream.
Mohamed Hussein Iid, Somali minister for Agriculture who spoke after the signing of the deal said that the project was initiated as a result of mutual relationship between Somalia and Turkey countries.
“The River Shabelle basin project Rehabilitation deal signed by these two allied countries aims at providing much needed water and contributing to lower the of the rate drought,” Iid said.
TIKA coordinator, Galib Yilmaz for his part said the project is expected to increase agricultural products.
“The projects will store enough water which can be used for the productivity as to avert the effects of droughts. It will also increase Somalia’s farm production,” Yilmaz noted.
In January, the two countries signed a deal to boost their strategic economic partnership which is intended to host free trade agreement between the sides.
Turkish deputy prime minister, Recep Akdag who spoke at the signing ceremony in Ankara said Turkey which so far spent $100 million to invest Somalia is ready to take part in the development of the horn Africa nation.
He noted that they expect the bilateral trade volume of the two countries to rise from $120 million to $200 million.
Since 2011 when Turkey showed solidarity to Somalia which was hit severe drought, Turkey implemented several projects including construction of roads, building hospitals, schools.
In 2017, Turkey opened its largest military training academy abroad in Somali capital, Mogadishu.
Over two hundred somali forces who graduated from the academy are currently serving the country.
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