The Turkish Parliament has approved a presidential memorandum to deploy military forces to Somalia, including its territorial waters, for two years.
This deployment is part of a defense cooperation agreement aimed at supporting security and counter-terrorism efforts in the African nation.
The presidential memorandum, submitted to Parliament last week and approved late Friday, states that Turkish military training, assistance, and advisory activities continue to ensure security and stability in Somalia under bilateral agreements.
These agreements involve restructuring Somalia’s defense and security forces to enhance their capabilities against terrorism, piracy, smuggling, and other threats.
The memorandum highlights the defense and economic cooperation framework agreement signed between Turkey and Somalia on February 8.
This agreement aims to strengthen bilateral relations and improve Somalia’s economic resource management.
Under the ten-year agreement, Turkey will protect nearly 3,000 kilometers of Somalia’s coastline, from Kenya to Djibouti, using warships and soldiers.
Specific details about the protection areas, such as the Gulf of Aden and Somaliland, will be clarified in subsequent protocols.
The Somali government has requested Turkey’s assistance, including military support against terrorism, piracy, illegal fishing, and smuggling, in line with the framework agreement’s objectives.
The Turkish Navy already participates in international task forces combating piracy in Somalia, the Gulf of Aden, and the Arabian Sea.
This memorandum follows Turkey’s recent announcement to send an exploration vessel off the Somali coast in September to search for oil and gas under a hydrocarbon cooperation agreement.
Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar announced this plan during a press conference in Istanbul after signing the hydrocarbon exploration and production agreement with Somali Oil and Mineral Resources Minister Abdirizak Omar Mohamed.
Bayraktar revealed that Turkey intends to explore oil and gas in three areas off Somalia’s coast. The Turkish research vessel “Oruç Reis,” along with support ships, will begin exploration by the end of September.
The Somali Oil and Mineral Resources Minister stated that the agreement would enhance bilateral relations.
Previously, Turkey and Somalia signed an international agreement and a memorandum of understanding to develop cooperation in oil and natural gas in March, following a defense and economic cooperation framework agreement in February.
Bayraktar mentioned that Turkey aims to bolster its presence in the Horn of Africa through new energy cooperation agreements.
According to a 2022 report by Turkey’s official Anadolu Agency, Somalia holds at least 30 billion barrels of oil and gas reserves, a figure confirmed by the International Trade Administration.
Oil exploration in Somalia is expected to take 3-5 years. International oil and gas companies had agreements to explore in Somalia but withdrew in 1991 due to the civil war.
In February 2020, Somalia enacted an oil law, followed by the Somali Oil Authority’s announcement of its first offshore licensing round in August, offering seven promising areas for oil exploration.
In recent years, Turkey has become a close ally of the Somali government, building schools, hospitals, infrastructure, and offering scholarships to Somali students. Turkish companies have secured major infrastructure deals, and Turkish goods dominate Somali markets.
In 2017, Turkey opened its largest overseas military base in Mogadishu, providing training to Somali military and police forces. Turkey has openly supported Somalia in its dispute with Ethiopia over Somaliland, with President Erdogan advocating for Somalia’s territorial integrity.