Somalia hails growing ties with Türkiye

Somalia’s Ports and Maritime Transport Minister, Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur, has pushed back against criticism of Somalia’s partnership with Türkiye, condemning what he described as misinformation surrounding Turkish support for the Horn of Africa nation.

The minister strongly defended Türkiye’s role in Somalia’s recovery and development, describing Ankara as one of the country’s most reliable and beneficial partners.

In an exclusive interview with TRT Afrika, Minister Abdulkadir said Türkiye had earned the gratitude of the Somali people through years of humanitarian assistance, infrastructure investment, and capacity-building efforts.

He emphasised that Türkiye’s involvement in Somalia has centered on investment, win-win cooperation, institutional capacity-building rather than resource exploitation.

“God did not make all human beings the same,” the minister said, noting that while some people recognize goodwill, others may be ungrateful. “Türkiye has earned gratitude. Educated Somalis who understand history and look toward the future clearly understand this.”

Abdulkadir emphasised that when global attention toward Somalia was limited, Türkiye was among the first countries to respond, particularly following the historic visit by President Erdogan in 2011, when he was prime minister.

The transport minister credited Ankara with helping bring international focus to Somalia’s humanitarian crises, including drought and conflict.

Infrastructure and security investments

The minister highlighted Türkiye’s role in rebuilding key infrastructure, including ports, roads, and airport facilities. He said Turkish companies’ management of Somali ports significantly increased government revenues.

“When Turkish companies managed Somali ports, government revenue increased tenfold,” Abdulkadir stated, adding that Somalia lacked the technical expertise to independently operate such facilities at the time.

He also pointed to the modernization of Mogadishu’s airport, which he said restored confidence among international airlines after years of security and infrastructure concerns. Improved facilities and security, he noted, contributed to expanded flight operations and broader economic development.

Maritime Sector and Revenue Sharing Abdulkadir said hundreds of millions of dollars are currently being invested in Somalia’s maritime sector, capital that the Somali government itself does not possess.

“Private investors are taking the risk,” he said, explaining that benefit-sharing arrangements would be addressed once projects begin generating results and would operate under international law.

He argued that partial revenue participation in a growing system is preferable to full control over underperforming assets. “Receiving 30 percent with growth is better than having 100 percent of nothing,” he said.

Capacity building and military cooperation

The minister acknowledged that Somalia currently lacks the ships, technical systems, and specialized expertise required for advanced maritime operations. He credited Türkiye with helping fill those gaps, including through naval protection of maritime activities.

He also stated that Somalia receives more than $20 million from Türkiye, covering areas such as military training and diplomatic operations. According to Abdulkadir, these contributions are financed by the Turkish government and its citizens.

“Nothing Türkiye does with Somalia is without purpose or future vision,” he said, adding that knowledge transfer and skills development are enabling Somali companies to increasingly manage operations independently.

Responding to critics of Somalia’s partnership with Türkiye, Abdulkadir dismissed allegations that the country’s resources were being extracted or exploited.

“Somalia is a recovering country. This is reality,” he said. “We do not have resources that are being extracted and exported abroad.”

He maintained that Türkiye has not taken wealth from Somalia and instead has invested heavily in its development.

“Beyond gratitude, nothing more is owed,” he concluded, calling for “reason, intellect, and clear thinking” in evaluating the bilateral relationship.