Mogadishu (Sunatimes) Somalia’s cabinet has unanimously voted in favour of Turkish Prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan as the man who deserves the United Nations Population Award.

Foreign Affairs minister and the acting Prime minister Mohamed Mohamud Hajji Ibrahim said Somalia will immediately submit the name of the candidate it has endorsed for the Award.

Established by the General Assembly in 1981, the Award is given annually to individuals and institutions for outstanding contributions to population concerns and their solutions.

The Award which was first presented in 1983 consists of a gold medal, a diploma and a monetary prize. Nominations for the award are accepted through 31 December of each year.

Somalia is required to submit its nominee by the end of December.

The UN will announce the winner of the Award March 2012 and its Secretary General will present the Award to the winner by June the same year.

By Fadumo Farah