► SOMALIA: Turkish Airlines to start flights to Somaliland in June?

Following recent talks held in Turkish capital, Ankara, between Turkish Government officials and a delegation from Somaliland, an unrecognised, self-declared sovereign state that is internationally recognised as an autonomous region of Somalia, flights between Istanbul and Berbera, a port town on the Red Sea, are to begin later this year.

Somaliland

According to Somaliland's foreign minister, Dr Mohamed Abdilahi Omar, the two nations agreed to enhanced, sustainable bilateral relations:

"Discussions which ensued between [Somaliland] President Silanyo and [Turkish] premiere Bozdag related to the enhancement of bilateral relations, increment of Turkish direct support to the government in Hargeisa and development at large," said Dr Omar while briefing the press on meeting outcomes in Ankara.

Source [SomalilandSun]

The foreign minister added that Turkish Airlines (TK) will commence regular flights to Berbera International Airport in June 2013.

Turkish Airlines (TK) currently serves Mogadishu via Djibouti three times a week with plans in the pipeline to commence flights to Asmara, Eritrea in July this year.

In contrast to the relative anarchy that has ruled over most of Somalia since the collapse of the Said-Barre regime in the early 90s, Somaliland has enjoyed relative peace, democracy and prosperity with its economy growing between 8% and 11% over the past 5 years (though this has yet to be corroborated by independent sources).