By Karya Naz Balkiz
Ties between Türkiye and Somalia have expanded significantly in the past year, particularly after a defence and economic cooperation pact was signed in February 2024, which Somalia’s Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre hailed as “historic”.
Later that year, Türkiye also brokered negotiations between Somalia and Ethiopia that led to the historic Ankara Declaration.
TRT World sat down with Somalia’s State Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ali Mohamed Omar, on the sidelines of the 4th Antalya Diplomacy Forum to explore why Türkiye’s partnership has proven resilient and what it signals for Ankara’s future engagements in Africa.
Omar praised Türkiye’s approach in Somalia as a “win-win” model that, unlike the Western standard, centres on long-term cooperation rather than short-term gain. He described it as “more durable and more sustainable” than the “prescription model” imposed by many Western countries.
In contrast to the rigid approach often used by Western powers, where aid and investment are tied to externally imposed reforms and prioritise the interests of donor nations, Türkiye stood out with its long-term commitments aligned with the needs of ordinary Somalis.
“Türkiye’s engagement in Somalia went beyond one administration. It went up to four administrations, which means that they are connected with Somali people rather than with a single leadership,” Omar said.
He characterised this as a shift from exploitative models to partnerships that respect national sovereignty and foster shared growth. “It's more sustainable than the traditional model in which other countries focused more on getting resources out, and engaged only with the elite,” he added.
Ankara's growing cooperation with Somalia reflects its broader Africa policy, which focuses on brotherly relations and finding regional solutions to regional problems.
Somaliland and the Ankara Declaration
A major testament to the success of Türkiye’s approach came with Türkiye’s mediation between Somalia and Ethiopia in late 2024, formalised as the Ankara Declaration.
The two countries had been at odds after Ethiopia signed a port access deal with Somaliland — a move widely condemned in Mogadishu as a violation of Somalia’s sovereignty.
Omar’s statements point to Africa’s colonial past as the root cause of the issue, as he underlined that many of the continent’s conflicts were inherited from the arbitrary borders drawn by colonial powers.
He explained that in 1964, as more African countries gained independence, there was a big debate: Do they redraw borders in line with ethnicities and languages, or preserve them to avoid further conflict and instability?
“We agreed to keep the borders intact…these are existing borders that we have to respect — and we have to move forward and learn from them,” Omar said.
On the issue of Somaliland, he was unequivocal: “Somaliland people are part of Somalia. They are fully integrated into Somali communities, and they are Somalis.”
He added that Somalia had already experienced enough fragmentation as a result of colonial rule, with over 10 million Somalis now living in Ethiopia, more than four million in Kenya, and over half of Djibouti’s population constituted of Somalis. “We cannot afford another division,” he stressed.
Omar also noted that colonial legacies run even deeper in Africa, shaping identities, languages and governance models.
“Many African countries still don't have a national language. They use colonial languages. And many of them have inherited systems and procedures that were put in place by the colonialists, which sometimes may not be compatible with realities on the ground,” Omar said.
But change, he believes, is coming from within.
“Africa is slowly changing as the new generation of leaders are trying to bring forward a compatible system,” he says, highlighting growing efforts to replace Western-imposed frameworks with “African standards, African procedures, and African cultures”.
The Ankara Declaration, in this context, was more than a political agreement. It was a rejection of externally imposed solutions of the Western-dominated global order, and a step toward a more multipolar, inclusive diplomacy that reaffirmed Türkiye’s diplomatic credibility in the region.
US ‘pressured Somalia’ over Türkiye ties
Türkiye’s growing influence in Somalia has caused shockwaves around the globe, including in Washington.
According to a report by Middle East Eye, the US was “unsettled” by Türkiye’s role to such an extent that it pressured Somalia to dismiss Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur, the former defence minister who signed the landmark February 2024 cooperation deal with Türkiye.
Nur was later reassigned as minister of ports, despite his role in boosting the Türkiye-Somalia defence and economic partnership.
The agreement, signed by Nur and Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler, covered ground from maritime security and counter-terrorism cooperation to financial support and investment frameworks — cementing bilateral ties that were already growing strong.
Türkiye has long been a key ally of Somalia, providing humanitarian relief, military training, and development assistance. Its involvement has spanned infrastructure projects, health and education initiatives, and economic engagement.
According to Omar, a pivotal boost for relations came as early as 2011, when then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Somalia with much of his cabinet and his family.
“That touched Somali hearts, and that was the turning point of Somalia's recovery and state-building process,” Omar told TRT World.
He outlined Türkiye’s involvement in three stages. The first was humanitarian, sparked by the 2011 drought that devastated Somalia. Turkish aid, he said, saved countless lives.
The second stage focused on development, especially in healthcare, education, and infrastructure sectors. Thousands of Somalis have studied at Turkish universities, while schools and hospitals were also built across Somalia.
Lastly, the third and current stage is defined by investment. Turkish businesses are now investing in the oil, fishing, and agriculture sectors in Somalia, “where we can create a win-win, long-term engagement,” said Omar.
These are not extractive ventures, but examples of shared growth — a stark contrast to the deals that have often left African nations indebted or stripped of their resources.
“We are very, very grateful, and we deeply value our relationship with Türkiye,” Omar said.
As Western powers grapple with waning influence, Türkiye’s approach offers a model for cooperation rooted in sovereignty, solidarity, and shared futures.
Türkiye and Somalia have signed a landmark agreement for onshore oil and gas exploration, allowing TPAO to operate across 16,000 square kilometres. The deal marks a new phase in bilateral energy and mining cooperation.
