Awakening of Mogadishu.
Till August 2011 Mogadishu was partially controlled by Al-Shabaab a group connected with al-Qaeda. Kidnapping, ransom, bombs and suicidal attempts are still everyday things in Mogadishu. AU still has got much to do to protect the city however for the first time within the last 20 years, the city has been regaining stability of authorities, who encourage foreign investors to do their businesses in Somalia. This is not easy since foreign businessmen still think that this area of Somalia is one of the most dangerous places on the Earth.
Currently, the potential of this country has been noticed by Turkish businessman - Turkish Airlines started their flights to Mogadishu, and in this way, Istanbul has become a gate for Somali emigrants coming back from Europe and North America. In Mogadishu destroyed by bombs and shooting one has to rebuild the whole infrastructure. For the time being the country can be proud of starting the first department of Somalia bank (FSB). In each sector as power, agriculture, trading, the media, building industry, there is much to be done and it can be done only with the help of investors who could rebuild the country and employ people.One of the foreign investors of European origin is Barthe Cortes, the owner of airlines specialised in cargo transport. For the last couple of years Cortes has been doing his businesses in Somalia, he has currently invested in renovation of International Airport, and he has bought a land for construction works in the city centre, as well as, alongside Ledo Beach. Other investor is Dahabshiil, a company specialised in international money transfers or Lino Carcoforo, Italian and Somali entrepreneur from the telecommunication branch. The authorities of the city hope that those investors who do not afraid to do business in Somalia are going to encourage investors from other parts of Africa and other continents. Mohamed Ibrahim, deputy prime minister of Somalia, encourages "Now when Magadishu is freed, foreign private investors are invited”.
Still, there are businessmen who believe that al-Shabaab terrorist group pushed to the southern part of the country could be back in the city any minute. The owner of a small shop near the main square says "My concern is that they could be back. They have killed officials before so it is hard not to be worried. Suicide bombers are still the main threat. In the National Theatre, two weeks after its opening, they blew themselves up killing 8 people", but he simultaneously adds that: "there have been enormous changes, business starts growing, people start feeling more secure, there are more and more customers, my profit is higher than a year before, the future seems to be promising."