The Turkish government is planning to rehabilitate the Berbera prison, a facility which was initially built by the Turks themselves about two centuries ago.
This was revealed when the Minister of Justice affairs Hon. Suleiman Warsame Guled received in his office the ambassador of the Turkish consular office in Somaliland Harun Arslan and the Coordinator of the TIKA Project Cooperation Agency Zafer Ekşi.
Present at the meeting were the Director General of the ministry Mr. Ismael Suleiman Bawkah and the Chief Prisons Commander Brigadier General Ahmed Awale Yusuf.
Others in attendance at the meeting included the director of the Department of Prisons and Human Rights and the director of Planning.
The main purpose of the meeting was cooperation in projects focusing on the field of justice management services.
The Turkish officials visited the ancient prison in Berbera that their country constructed around two centuries ago, a facility that they are planning to renovate.
The Minister of Justice acknowledged that Turkey and Somaliland shared a long history, and that “there is a need to renew the traces and historical ruins that Turkey left in Somaliland centuries ago”.
He also added that Somaliland and Turkey would cooperate in many projects to improve the justice management and dispensing services with Turkey king in support in implementations of the said development projects.
On his part Brigadier General Ahmed Awale Yusuf welcomed the new cooperation between Turkey and Somaliland, pointing out the importance of Turkey’s historic construction of the Berbera Prison.
Mr. Harun Arslan, head of the Turkish Consulate in Somaliland and Mr. Zafer Ekşi, project coordinator of TIKA, affirmed that they visited the city of Berbera, especially the Berbera Prison, the Turkish Mosque and the port of Berbera, and promised that the Turkish government plans to renovate the prison an also promote development projects in Somaliland.
In conclusion, the Turkish authorities and the Ministry of Justice agreed to work together on the reconstruction of Berbera Prison, and to plan projects for the development of justice.
