Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Today, I would like to thank the business world for approaching this campaign with due sensitivity and donating nearly 10 million TL to a land where every day, almost three thousand children are losing their lives. I thank everyone who donated, from those who donated one lira to those who donated a million.”

Accepting the symbolic check, Director of Religious Affairs Görmez said, “Let this be the handsel.” In response Prime Minister Erdoğan spoke, “The Director of Religious Affairs has spoken justly. We will accept this as handsel. That would befit TOBB. The hand that gives is more beneficent than the hand that takes. This will bring them prosperity.”

- Prime Minister Erdoğan: “The amount of aid for Somalia has reached 450 million TL”

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, “As of today, the amount of aid donated has reached 450 million TL. The donations are still coming in. The aid from abroad will arrive via the Directorate of Religious Affairs.”

Stating that there are also ongoing campaigns of CSOs in Turkey, Prime Minister Erdoğan went on, “I estimate that we will exceed 300 million shortly. The urgent aid in kind such as food medicine, tents et cetera are being sent to Somalia under the supervision of my Deputy, Bekir Bozdağ through TİKA and Red Crescent.

The CSOs are also taking their place in coordination with the rest. My Deputy Bekir Bozdağ will be visiting Somalia every two months with his team and assess the situation on site as I’ve instructed. We are also starting work on infrastructure and superstructure. Certain steps are being taken. We are setting up TİKA and the Red Crescent as well as our embassy. It is our wish that when an ambassador is appointed CSOs will also send representatives as well.
This embassy will affect change and will work together with personnel sent by the CSOs. We do not view this as a chain of diplomatic and bureaucratic relations, we see it as the continuation of volunteer work by our ambassador. We will be appointing an appropriate ambassador as soon as possible. We have requested 100 acres for the construction of the embassy. The urgent matters are of a medical nature of course. Although we are making due with a field hospital for the duration a 200 bed capacity hospital will be constructed.”

Thanking all donators, every citizen who has taken part in the campaign on behalf of himself and the nation, Prime Minister Erdoğan stated, “May Allah bless them. This may take some time, but hopefully with the investments being made there, Somalia will be able stand on its own. As I’ve said upon my return from Somalia, we will be bringing this matter up in the UN Council. The TOBB President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu has presented the check to the Director of Religious Affairs. The transfer of funds to the account will have been completed.”
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