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HATAY, TURKEY — H.E. General Bashir Mohamed Jama, Minister of Environment and Climate Change of the Federal Republic of Somalia, participated in the high-level “Resilient Cities for COP31” summit held in Hatay, Turkey, as a precursor to the upcoming global climate conference, according to the Ministry’s Official Facebook Page.
The summit serves as a cornerstone for preparations for the 31st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP31), scheduled for later this year in Antalya, Turkey. It aims to mobilize international efforts to enhance urban responses to climate challenges, involving elite global leaders and experts.
The summit showcased lessons from the “Disaster of the Century” (the 2023 Turkey earthquake), where the Minister reviewed live models of reconstruction. He emphasized that protecting urban centers lies in “proactive structural decisions” and policies adopted before disasters to ensure community resilience.
H.E. the Minister participated in a specialized panel titled “From the Disaster of the Century to Building Sustainable Cities,” delivering a historic speech detailing Somalia’s climate struggles, ranging from prolonged droughts to devastating floods that ravage national infrastructure.
The Minister proposed a five-point strategic vision for the coming years, focusing on integrating climate risks into national planning, proactive infrastructure investment, strengthening local governance, linking climate action to peacebuilding, and ensuring inclusive solutions centering women and youth.
General Bashir Mohamed Jama stressed that Mogadishu prioritizes sustainable water projects and early warning systems, highlighting that the Somali government views the “Hatay Summit” as a vital opportunity to bolster the resilience of Somali cities en route to (COP31).
On the sidelines, the Minister held bilateral talks with his Turkish counterpart, H.E. Murat Kurum, Minister of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change. They discussed prospects for joint cooperation and technical knowledge exchange in environmental management, as reported by the Ministry’s Official Platform.
Both sides explored ways to activate previously signed agreements and strengthen coordination frameworks between environmental institutions, focusing on technical capacity building to confront natural crises and develop climate adaptation strategies serving mutual interests.
The meeting also touched upon Turkey’s leading role in hosting major international conferences. The Somali Minister praised the Turkish “Urban Resilience” model, describing it as an inspiring example for countries suffering from ecological fragility and seeking recovery.
The Somali participation concluded by emphasizing that climate action is no longer a luxury but a pillar of national security, calling on the international community to provide necessary support to the most affected nations to ensure climate justice and global stability.
This Somali participation in the heart of Hatay—a city that rose from earthquake ruins—embodies a message of determination and forward-thinking. The Somali government recognizes that building “Resilient Cities” is an investment in human dignity and future generations, making coordination with international partners an existential necessity to transform environmental challenges into opportunities for sustainable development.
