Turkish Firms Growing Interests in Somalia
GAROWE, Somalia: Tuesday 15th September 2015, Puntland Civil Aviation and Airports Minister Hassan Haji Saed (Hasssan Adde) officiated renovation undertaking that will see the reopening of Conoco airstrip.
A Turkish contracting firm, SMK Group was awarded tender contract worth total of $6million in funding.
Starting October 2015, the company will embark on construction of paved runway, terminals, air traffic control tower, parking spots and lighting, fire and rescue stations inside the unpaved airport.
Situated about 35 kilometers from the capital Garowe, Conoco will serves as a strategic detour during the period of the construction.
While addressing the local media, Hassan Adde confirmed that Conoco airstrip will undergo urgent refurbishment and the airstrip will stay operational until major renovations of Garowe airport are completed.
The Turkish contractor is expected to airlift heavy construction machinery and materials from neighboring Djibouti.
In October 2013, Somalia received a loan of $10 million from Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) to undertake development projects.
The refurbishment will be funded at a tune of $6million and the remaining $4 million will go to development of other projects such as the construction of dormitories, lecture rooms, laboratories, sport fields, libraries and other structures at Maakhir University in northern Sanaag region.
SMK Group is one among other Turkish firms to win mega contracts in Somalia. Another Turkish construction firm, Albayrak Group and the Somali government signed an agreement to upgrade and run the operations Mogadishu port for a period of 20 years.
