Ankara, Turkey (SONNA) – A high-level Somali delegation, led by the Deputy Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Abdirahman Yusuf Omar (Adaala), concluded a significant working visit to Turkey, aimed at deepening bilateral relations and fostering media cooperation.
The delegation, which included Mr. Abdirisaq Ali Ibrahim, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office; Farhan Mohamed Jimale, Government Spokesperson and Director of Information in the Prime Minister’s Office; Mohamed Adam Dugow, Director of Information and Media Relations at the Presidency; Abdishakur Ali Ahmed, Director of Media Strategy at the Ministry of Information; Abdifitaah Dahir Jeyte, Director of Radio Mogadishu; and senior advisors from the Office of the President, held a pivotal meeting with Mr. Prof. Burhanettin Duran, Turkey’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. Accompanying Deputy Minister Duran were the Director General of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and officials from the Directorate of Information and Relations at the Turkish Presidency. Somalia’s Ambassador to Turkey, Mr. Fatxudiin Ali Mohamed, was also present during the discussions.
The meeting centered on fortifying the already robust relations between the two brotherly countries. A key emphasis was placed on the imperative of fostering stronger connections between the Somali and Turkish peoples and actively combating propaganda and misinformation that could undermine their friendly ties.
Deputy Minister Adaala expressed his profound gratitude to the Turkish government for its warm hospitality and for creating an exceptional environment for experience sharing, which he noted significantly enhances the relationship between the two governments in the crucial field of information.
“We are pleased that we were welcomed here so well, we had fruitful meetings and workshops,” stated Deputy Minister Adaala. He added, “We visited the media centers of Turkey, which are among the strongest in the world, and the Havelsan Defense Technology Factory. We thank the Turkish government in general, the Turkish Presidential Media Directorate in particular, and the other institutions we met with.”
The Deputy Minister further highlighted the current importance of media cooperation, asserting that Somalia stands to greatly benefit from Turkey’s expertise in modernizing its media landscape, shaping public opinion, and effectively countering falsehoods and misinformation.
In response, Prof. Burhanettin Duran, Turkey’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, thanked the Somali delegation for their visit and for the valuable experience-sharing sessions held with Turkish media institutions.
“The two countries have deep relations based on brotherly cooperation and friendship,” said Deputy Minister Duran. He elaborated, “The issue of media relations is a new direction in which we want to cooperate, as there are common situations that the two countries face, such as the dangers of misinformation, falsification, modernization of the media and social media. We want to further strengthen our existing relations.”
During their visit, Minister Adaala and his delegation also undertook tours of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Directorate of Communications and Media, the Turkish News Agency Anadolu, the Turkish Radio and Television Center (TRT), and the headquarters of the Havelsan military equipment manufacturer, gaining valuable insights into Turkey’s advanced communication and defense sectors.
