Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan toured famine-hit Mogadishu yesterday on the first visit by a major leader in almost 20 years, calling the extreme drought ravaging Somalia “a problem for all humanity”.

Somalia has been the worst affected in the Horn of Africa by a prolonged drought and the United Nations has officially declared a famine in five regions of the country, including the capital Mogadishu.

“This is not only Turkey’s problem. This is a problem for all humanity. The tragedy going on here is a test for civilisation and contemporary values,” Erdogan told reporters.

The Turkish premier, accompanied by his family and four ministers on the visit, called on the world to take action.

“The civilised world must successfully pass this test in order to prove that Western values are not made up of empty rhetoric,” he said.

The visit follows the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s meeting on Wednesday in Istanbul, which pledged $350 million to assist the drought- and famine-stricken Somalis.

But Mr Erdogan said the meeting did not meet expectations. “We had greater expectations at that point, but if you ask me if we fulfilled those expectations I cannot say yes.”

“I believe it is necessary to make investments here,” he added, promising that Turkey will fund infrastructure projects including restoring a hospital, building schools, drilling wells and rebuilding the road from Mogadishu airport to the city.

Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed commended the Turkish government’s efforts to help.

“We are very grateful to the Turkish government and people for the tireless assistance they are giving. We will never forget how they are standing by our side as friends in this time of humanitarian disaster,” he said at the news conference.

Mr Erdogan and his host visited a field hospital established by the Turkish government as well as a former hospital turned military base that Turkey wants to rehabilitate as a hospital.