President of Somalia meets with Turkish counterpart

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has held discussions with his Somali counterpart Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Istanbul.

The high-level meeting follows Israel's recognition of Somaliland last Friday. Somaliland declared independence from Somalia more than two decades ago, but it has failed to gain recognition from any United Nations member state.

The two leaders kicked off bilateral talks after an official welcoming ceremony. Discussions focused on steps to strengthen bilateral relations between Turkey and Somalia.

Also on the agenda was Somalia’s fight against terrorism and the Somali government’s endeavours to ensure national unity.

Israel is the first and only country to recognise Somaliland as a sovereign state, prompting condemnation from Somalia and a string of other nations.