Somalia President meets Turkish counterpart, discusses maritime defence deal, Al-Shabaab war

Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud met with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday for discussions on matters including the defence and economic cooperation agreement they recently signed.

The two leaders also discussed Somalia's fight against the Al-Shabaab terror group, the country's role in the Horn of Africa's stability, and their diplomatic ties.

The meeting follows a February 8, 2024, agreement between the two countries, which will see Turkey train and provide equipment to the Somali Navy, helping Mogadishu protect its maritime resources and territorial waters from threats such as terrorism, piracy and foreign interference.

On February 22, 2024, President Hassan signed the 10-year ratified Defence and Economic Cooperation Agreement with Turkey, praising it as a "new chapter in our nation's journey towards a secure and prosperous future".

Presidents Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (Somalia) and Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Turkey) during their meeting in Antalya amid the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, on March 2, 2024. (Photo: Villa Somalia)

Earlier on Saturday, the Somali leader participated in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, highlighting his country's perspective on the Red Sea during a high-level panel discussion, and emphasising that peace and international trade hinge on promoting the cooperation and stability of the Red Sea bordering countries.

According to Villa Somalia, "The President touched on the Ethiopian government's unilateral actions undermining the stability of the region, dismissing baseless claims aimed at legitimising encroachment on Somali territorial waters."

Tensions surround Ethiopia and Somaliland's January 1, 2024, Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which would grant Ethiopia access to the Red Sea for commercial and military use, with Somaliland getting recognition as an independent state and a possible stake in the national Ethiopian Airlines.

The deal has strained relations between Hassan and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, with the former saying he must protect his country's sovereignty and territorial integrity and the latter emphasising the need to cater to the needs of populations in a landlocked country.

Somalia alleges an annexation attempt, as reiterated Saturday by Ali Omar Balad, Somalia's acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, who affirmed that his country will never tolerate such a move.

A file picture of Ali Omar Balad, Somalia's acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. (Photo: X/ Anadolu English)

In an interview in Antalya, however, Ali appeared to extend an olive branch, saying "If Ethiopia wants to have commercial access, we are more than willing". He noted that Abiy's country must be willing to comply with international rules and regulations that govern the way landlocked countries access the sea.

Abiy says he does not wish to do Somalia any harm and is not attempting annexation.

Regarding the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab terror outfit, President Hassan told the Antalya panel discussion of his government’s continued effort to liberate areas under their control, strengthen statehood, and promote sustainable development.

Presidents Hassan and Erdogan also discussed "further enhancing the Somalia-Turkey strategic partnership in all sectors, including the recent cooperation agreements and other regional and global issues of mutual interest", Villa Somalia said.

Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud takes part in a panel discussion at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on March 2, 2024. (Photo: Villa Somalia)

NATO member Turkey has close relations with Somalia and is its leading economic partner, notably in the construction, education and health sectors, as well as in military cooperation.

Somalia is also home to Turkey’s largest overseas military base and training facility, which has already trained more than 5,000 members of the Somali security forces, according to Turkish media reports.

It is among several nations training soldiers to take over from an African Union peacekeeping mission known as ATMIS, whose troops are set to leave by the end of the year.

Additionally, Turkey is among those to have voiced support for Somalia's sovereignty following Ethiopia's MoU with Somaliland.

Ethiopia, the second most populous country in Africa and one of the biggest landlocked countries in the world has been searching for an outlet to the sea ever since Eritrea declared independence in 1993.

Additional reporting by AFP