Monday June 9, 2025
Makkah (HOL) – Somali Minister of Endorsements and Islamic Affairs, Sheikh Mukhtar Robow Ali, held a key meeting on Sunday with Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş, President of Türkiye’s Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı), at the Turkish Hajj Affairs Office in the holy city of Makkah.
During the meeting, Minister Robow expressed deep gratitude to the government and people of Türkiye for their unwavering support to Somalia, particularly highlighting contributions since 2011, when Somalia faced a devastating drought.
He commended Türkiye's involvement across critical sectors including, education, economy, defense, and military cooperation.
The two leaders discussed avenues to deepen cooperation between Somalia’s Ministry of Endorsements and Islamic Affairs and Türkiye’s Diyanet. Key areas of focus included establishing Somalia’s Endowment Authority, developing a National Zakat Fund Registry, and launching training programs for ministry personnel and religious scholars involved in institutional development.
These initiatives are part of the Federal Government of Somalia’s five-year national development agenda, which seeks to enhance governance and institutional capacity in the religious sector, according to the Somali minister.
The meeting highlights the growing religious and diplomatic ties between Somalia and Türkiye, particularly in efforts to modernize and strengthen Islamic institutions, promote mutual understanding, and foster development.