By Mohamed Maalin Adan - Political analyst focused on Somali politics, governance, international relations and foreign influence.
“A strong partnership can deepen cooperation while leaving Somalia’s institutions responsible for the choices that shape the country’s own future.” Mohamed Maalin Adan
Türkiye’s relationship with Somalia has grown from an emergency response into a broad partnership spanning diplomacy, humanitarian assistance, education, security and economic cooperation.
The relationship became especially visible in 2011, when then Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited Mogadishu during a severe drought and famine. That visit helped place Somalia higher on Türkiye’s diplomatic agenda and was followed by a wider Turkish presence in the country.
In the years since, Turkish agencies and institutions have supported humanitarian and development programmes, health services, education and infrastructure.
Turkish Airlines began serving Mogadishu, Turkish organisations expanded aid operations, and Somali students received opportunities to study in Türkiye.
The partnership has also brought more frequent official contact between the two governments. These links have made the relationship visible in daily life as well as in formal diplomacy.
Security cooperation has become another central part of the partnership. The TURKSOM military training facility, opened in Mogadishu in 2017, provides a long-term platform for training Somali forces.
In 2024, Somalia and Türkiye signed a defence and economic cooperation framework that includes support for developing the Somali navy and maritime security. Such agreements address real needs for a country with a long coastline and limited resources, while also placing important questions of implementation, oversight and public accountability before Somali institutions.
Economic and maritime cooperation has widened the relationship further. Somalia’s location along major sea routes and its coastal resources give it strategic importance, while Türkiye has interests in trade, shipping, energy and regional security.
Cooperation can bring investment, technical capacity and access to services. It can also create obligations and dependencies. The public should therefore be able to understand the terms of major agreements, the responsibilities each side assumes and the benefits expected for Somali communities.
Long-term engagement can generate influence without direct political intervention. Repeated exchanges build professional relationships, institutional familiarity and access to decision-makers.
Scholarships connect individuals to educational systems; training programmes create working relationships between security institutions; and development projects give partners a continuing presence.
These links can shape how governments communicate and cooperate. They do not, by themselves, prove control over a partner country’s policies or the loyalties of individual officials.
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That distinction is important in assessing Türkiye’s role. Somalia should neither dismiss the benefits of a partnership that has delivered practical support nor treat cooperation as beyond scrutiny.
The same standards should apply to Türkiye and to every other international partner: clear agreements, parliamentary oversight, transparent implementation and public reporting on results.
The value of a project should be judged by whether it strengthens Somali institutions and improves services, not simply by the scale of the announcement or the closeness of diplomatic ties.
Somali institutions also have a responsibility to set the terms of cooperation. Parliament can examine agreements and oversee government policy; ministries can publish plans and implementation reports; and independent media and civil society can ask whether commitments match the country’s priorities.
This scrutiny is not a rejection of partnership. It helps ensure that international support adds to Somalia’s capacity and leaves Somali institutions better able to make decisions for themselves.
Türkiye’s engagement has become one of Somalia’s most sustained bilateral relationships, combining humanitarian, educational, security and economic ties. Its durability gives Ankara a significant presence and a continuing role in Somali affairs.
The central test is how that relationship serves Somalia over time: whether it builds local capacity, respects national decision-making and produces benefits that can be measured publicly.
A strong partnership can deepen cooperation while leaving Somalia’s institutions responsible for the choices that shape the country’s future.
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About the Author#
Mohamed Maalin Adan is a political analyst focused on Somali politics, governance, international relations and foreign influence.
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The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Dawan Africa.