Somalia orders the referral of the Ethiopia ambassador

Somalia and Turkey seal a strategic defense partnership

Somalia has ratified a defense agreement with Turkey on Wednesday, February 21, 2024. This ten -year agreement aims to strengthen Somalia’s maritime security and modernize its naval forces, according to the declarations of Somali President Hassan Cheikh Mohamoud.

The Somali government and its Parliament unanimously approved a new defense agreement with Ankara, thus consolidating the links between Somalia and Turkey, an influential NATO member. This agreement comes at a critical moment, when Mogadishu faces tensions with Ethiopia, which recently concluded an agreement with Somaliland, a region aspiring to independence.

According to Somali President Hassan Cheikh Mohamoud, this agreement specifically targets cooperation in the fields of maritime defense and the economy, without seeking to provoke or exacerbate tensions with other nations. The announced objective is to protect the vast Somali coast and to participate in the reconstruction of the country’s naval forces, essential to guarantee its stability and safety.

Turkey, which has long maintained privileged relations with Somalia, especially in the sectors of humanitarian aid, education, and economic development, marks with this agreement a deeper commitment in the defense and security of the region of the horn of Africa. This Turkish commitment is part of a larger strategy aimed at strengthening its influence in key geostrategic areas.