A high-level conference aimed at resolving the ongoing problems in strife-torn Somalia opened on Friday in the Turkish capital of Istanbul, DPA reported.
Co-hosted by the United Nations and Turkey, the meeting will be attended by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Somali President Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed.
Somalia has been mired in conflict since 1991.
The lack of a strong central government has led to a growing number of pirates operating off its coast and threatening shipping lanes in the Indian Ocean.
Turkey in recent years has increased its outreach to Africa, as part of a larger effort to increase its diplomatic and trade profile on the global stage.