Appreciation Ceremony for the Turkish Government Donation

On Tuesday August 28, 2012, Puntland State University (PSU), conducted a handover ceremony in appreciation of the donation of the Turkish Government of forty computers (40) and seven printers (7). The function was attended by the Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, Eng. Mohamud Salah and the Puntland President advisor on women and family affairs, Mrs Hawo Abdi Kure, among other government dignitaries, local community leaders, PSU staff and students.

In his opening remarks, Mr Mohamed Hamid Mohamed, the PSU President, expressed the University administration’s appreciation for the continued assistance by the Turkish Government, noting that the computers and printers had come soon after the Government of Turkey had offered scholarships for masters and PhD degrees for PSU graduates and faculty. Highlighting the extent to which the Turkish government was assisting the Somali community through education, he said that the donation was part of a larger lot of three hundred and sixty computers (360) and sixty three (63) printers donated to Somali universities through SomaliREN and that the nine universities under the SomaliREN umbrella were all beneficiaries of the masters and PhD degree scholarships by Turkey.

In his address to the congregation, Eng Mohamud Salah, thanked the Government of Turkey for contribution to the Puntland education sector and the Somali community in general. He said education was a reproductive investment that would benefit community in every possible manner for generations. He also thanked PSU for playing a leading role in the education and social reconstruction of the community and urged the university to expand its faculties to include courses in agriculture.

The minister also reminded those in attendance that besides the unparalleled contribution to the Puntland Constitution through the hosting of debates, PSU had also hosted the successful Garowe I and II Somalia Federal Constitution Consultative conferences which saw the adoption of a new constitution for the Somali Republic. He pointed out that it was an interesting coincidence that as PSU celebrated the donations and assistance by the Turkish government, the Somali Federal Parliament in Mogadishu had just finished electing a new speaker barely an hour earlier on the same day on the basis of the constitution PSU helped found.

Mr Salim Said Salim, the PSU Deputy Vice Chancellor, thanked the Turkish government for the donation with the assurance that the university will ensure the computers and printers are optimally utilized to benefit learners.