By Hassan Istiila

MOGADISHU, Somalia

Turkey’s deputy prime minister  Hakan Cavusoglu arrived in Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital on Monday.

Cavusoglu was welcomed by Deputy Prime Minister of Federal Republic of Somalia H.E Mahdi Mohamed Gulled at the Aden Adde international Airport, according to Somalia National News Agency (Sonna).

Sonna said the two officials two laid down the foundation stone of the road connecting Mogadishu airport to TurkSom Training Base in Mogadishu.

Another Turkish delegation led by Hayrettin Gungor, Secretary General of the Union of Municipalities of Turkey (UMT) visited Somalia’s southern port  port city of Kismayo.

The delegation was welcomed in Kismayo by President Ahmed Islam before holding a meeting at the regional state house while visiting the port of Kismayo and Gobweyn, the historic meeting point of the Juba River and Indian Ocean.

The visit is part of a follow up of a recent sister cities announcement between Antalya in Mediterranean Turkey and Kismayo and also assessing areas for Turkish development projects.

Turkish Ambassador to Somalia Olgan Bekar, who accompanied the delegation, said new development projects will be undertaken by Ankara in the region.

Since the 2011 visit of President (then Prime Minister) Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Mogadishu during the height of a deadly drought, the diplomatic relationship between Somalia and Turkey has been highlighted by Ankara’s solidarity and cooperation with Mogadishu.