The first visit by a non-African leader in two decades, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been visiting refugee camps and hospitals in Somalia to pay his respects.
Accompanied by his wife and family, the iconic images of her in tasteful cream Muslim dress send out clear messages to the wider world that Turkey has moved towards inspirational leadership.
"Prime minister Erdogan's visit tells us the Turkish people are closer to us than any other Muslim nation on earth," explained one Somalian resident, Abdirashid Ali Omar. "The Turkish people are here to share with us in our time of need. It is momentous."
Erdogan, who describes the Somalian crisis as a ‘litmus test’ for humanity, now sets himself up as a trendsetter among Middle Eastern rulers, at a time when dictatorship is fast falling out of fashion. With his popularity set to rise due to his confidence with Israel, the future could see other leaders struggling to keep up with the man who has improved Turkey in almost every way over the past 17 years since he was first elected as Mayor of Istanbul. Over just 4 years from 1994-1998 he dealt with Istanbul’s pollution, traffic and the sale of alcohol. He also reduced the city’s debts. His success and popularity got him elected as Prime Minister in 2003 since which he has continued to build the country’s economy, reducing unemployment and Turkey’s IMF debts by three quarters.
May Allah preserve him, increase him in Iman and Taqwa and inspire great leadership all over the Muslim world, Amin.
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