BAGIS CALLS FOR AID CAMPAIGN FOR THE PEOPLE OF SOMALIA AND AFRICA

Ministry for European Union Affairs has launched within the Ministry an aid campaign for the people of Somalia and other African countries facing hunger with a written message sent by Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis to the Ministry staff.

Pointing out in his message that brother people in the Horn of Africa, particularly in Somalia were faced with a huge hunger and misery, Egemen Bagis noted that almost 40 million people came face to face with a chronic famine threat in the region which was experiencing the biggest draught of the last 60 years.

Bagis said, "We have once more demonstrated especially in the merciful and prosperous atmosphere of the holy month of Ramadan that we don't remain indifferent to the tragedy of our brothers in Africa as a nation which prided itself on having a tradition of sharing and helping each other throughout the history" and he noted that to this end they as the state and nation were mobilized to extend a helping hand to the Somalian and African people.

Indicating in his message that as Ministry for European Union Affairs they should also contribute to this campaign, Bagis stated that European Union membership process didn't consist of only technical negotiations and they always emphasized that this process would at the same time be an occasion for strengthening the sense of social responsibility.

Noting that accordingly they launched an aid campaign in cooperation with Ministry for European Union Affairs and Turkish Red Crescent Society and this campaign would include only Ministry for EU Affairs, Bagis said that aid granted within the Ministry would be presented to Turkish Red Crescent Society in a fast-breaking dinner he and his spouse Beyhan Bagis would hold in honour of his colleagues on 16 August 2011 at Bilkent Hotel.

Minister for EU Affairs Bagis in his message also thanked individually the entire Ministry staff for their sensitivities.