Over the last decade, the friendship between Somalia and Türkiye has increased significantly which is reflected through substantial diplomatic, economic and cultural engagement. Some of the salient features of this engagement include:
Historical Ties: The relationship between Somalia and Türkiye has canned the ages old interactional undercurrents for centuries now; only now has it begun to take a center stage more visibly.
Diplomatic Support: Türkiye has always advocated for the preservation of Somalia’s sovereignty and stabilization efforts of the war torn country, particularly after the civil war. To show its resolve, Türkiye opened its biggest Embassy in Africa in 2010 in Mogadishu.
Humanitarian Aid: Türkiye has also been generous in giving humanitarian assistance to Somalia especially when the country was facing drought and famine. In this regard, Turkish non-governmental organizations and government bodies participated in carrying out several campaigns.
Economic Cooperation: The Trade and Investments between the two countries have also been beneficial as Turkish companies have been setting base in Somalia. This has been the case with construction, telecommunications and other sectors ultimately helping in the development of the economy.
Cultural Exchange: In addition, there have also been ways in which the countries have promoted each other’s cultures such as education, arts and language. There have been also many Somali students who attended Türkiye on scholarship.
Security Collaboration: The two countries also collaborated on some security issues and Türkiye provided military training to the Somali National Army.
Popular Sentiment: Among many Somalis, there is a favorable image of Türkiye. This is because of the presence of Türkiye and its involvement in the different sectors.
Overall, the friendship which exists between the two nations is seen as a win win situation, promoting stability in Somalia which in turn expands the sphere of influence of Türkiye in the Horn of Africa.
