Somalia and Turkey Discuss Port Infrastructure Development and Maritime Security
ANKARA – Turkey and Somalia reaffirmed their growing maritime and security partnership during high-level talks in Ankara between Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Somali Minister of Ports and Maritime Transport, Abdikadir Mohamed Nur.
The two ministers reviewed ongoing initiatives and discussed expanding cooperation in port infrastructure development, maritime security, and technical training. According to the Turkish Foreign Ministry, both sides affirmed their commitment to strengthening trade routes, protecting Somalia’s exclusive economic zone, and enhancing the operational capacity of Somali maritime institutions.
The meeting, held on Monday, complements a series of landmark agreements signed over the past year. In February 2024, the Somali Cabinet approved a ten-year defense and economic cooperation agreement with Turkey, which includes naval training, joint patrols, and revenue-sharing for marine resource development. This agreement formalized a strategic alliance aimed at protecting Somalia’s coastline from piracy, illegal fishing, and territorial encroachment.
In June 2024, Turkey and Somalia signed a revenue-sharing agreement granting Ankara 30% of future hydrocarbon revenues in Somalia's exclusive economic zone in exchange for technical support and naval defense. This move was widely viewed as a counterbalance to the controversial Memorandum of Understanding between Ethiopia and Somaliland, which Somalia considered a violation of its territorial integrity.
Turkey has been a steadfast partner in Somalia's reconstruction since reopening its embassy in Mogadishu in 2011. The Turkish Development Agency (TIKA) has contributed to port development and fisheries development in coastal communities, while Turkish companies have managed Mogadishu's port and airport for over a decade.
Turkey's defense presence in Somalia also includes a major military training base in Mogadishu, known as Camp Turkesum, where Somali military cadets are trained in naval operations, infantry, and counterinsurgency. This base is part of Ankara's broader efforts to expand its influence in the Horn of Africa region through a combination of security partnerships, infrastructure investment, and diplomatic mediation.
The Ankara meeting comes amid growing geopolitical competition in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, as Somalia seeks to leverage its strategic coastline through formal bilateral security arrangements. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan emerged as a driving force behind the mediation between Somalia and Ethiopia, which culminated in the signing of the Ankara Declaration on December 12, 2024, bringing together Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed under Turkish mediation.
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