Ismail OsmanWhile conflict, insecurity and the collapse of government have characterized the greater part of the last three decades for Somalia, many countries around the world have verbalized their support to the country while few countries actually translate their words into actions and commit to help build up the country for the long-term.
Türkiye quickly transitioned from emergency humanitarian assistance to rebuild the country’s national armed forces, educate professionals and construct institutions to improve governance and development, all the while encouraging economic growth to sustain its gains.
Today, with Somalia rapidly becoming an energy-producing country, the lasting value of such long-term engagements with one of the world’s fastest-developing countries is becoming apparent.
Türkiye’s support to Somalia Army
Security is the base of any developing country that needs to build up its state structure and needs to develop. Therefore, Türkiye has contributed to building up Somalia’s armed forces in order to provide them with security.
Within the scope of the military cooperation and related training programs, thousands of Somali soldiers and police officers are given training to fight against terrorism and to defend their country’s independence.
Strengthening the Somali National Army and helping it become more capable is of utmost importance. A stable Somali National Army is crucial to building institutions and developing a country.
Rebuilding a nation also needs individuals who can manage to run institutions, deliver services and create prosperity.
In the end, Somalia’s greatest investment is in its people. Scholarships and partnership programmes are helping strengthen higher-education institutions, enabling young Somalis to train as doctors, engineers, administrators and technical experts who can manage institutions, deliver essential services, create prosperity and contribute to rebuilding their country.
Many of the newly trained Somali doctors, engineers, administrators and other professionals have since returned to Somalia to continue to develop their country.
Today, hundreds of trained Somali professionals are working in various Somali hospitals, universities, government offices and even private companies. Their presence, both at home and in the diaspora, will ultimately help to strengthen Somalia’s institutions to develop its human resources.
Innovative infrastructure
Türkiye has helped build several roads, schools, health centers, airport, ports and other public facilities in the country.
These structures not only alleviate day-to-day stress experienced by millions of Somalis but are also opening up numerous new opportunities to foster trade, improve access to public services, travel and generate employment.
By supporting Somalia’s infrastructure development, Türkiye is effectively signaling that the country is a great place to do business and is building towards strong and sustainable development.
The future of nation
The end result of these successful Somal and Turkish efforts is now beginning to manifest itself to the international community. For much of the past three decades or so, the mind-set of most of the globe, had come to associate the term ‘Somalia’, with reference to civil-war, drought, rural-banditry, inter-tribal- bloodshed, starvation, etc.
Unfortunately, most of these same impressions are still very relevant. However, for the first time in many long years, many are beginning to detect inklings of much-needed hope, instead.
But nowhere is the transformation of Somalia to becoming a country worth developing more evident than in the newly emerging energy sector.
When Somalia was a complete failure as a country, with its resources unexploited due to lack of security and failed state institutions, some 20-30 years of failed policies could have been brought to an end within a couple of years.
At present, while so much remains to be done in order to build up the institutions that are needed in order to develop a robust economy that would create plenty of jobs and give a chance to all Somalis to benefit from their own resources, rather than just a few, progress that has been made so far can be clearly seen.
If energy from Somalia’s natural resources can be produced sustainably and put onto the market, then the earnings from it will be able to finance important projects for the country’s development, i.e. for the construction of vital infrastructure, for education and for health care.
More importantly, the revenue from the development and use of Somalia’s natural resources will be an important step for the country’s economic independence and thus allow for sufficient funds to be invested in its own development.
However, this impressive progress has created place of resistance. Some opposition leaders frequently accuse Türkiye of everything bad for Somalia while they wish to monger suspicion to transform the scope of humanitarian assistance into opportunism.
There are some elements within Somalia's opposition parties such as remnants of Al-Shabaab terrorist organisation, that routinely accuse and condemn Türkiye’s cooperation to build Somalia’s National Army.
Equally, the cooperation between Somalia and Türkiye in terms of agreements signed, have also become subjects of criticism and skepticism by some elements within Somalia’s opposition elements.
However, as is normal with democratic politics, healthy debate on all issues including these, should always be encouraged. However, such debates must always be judged in light of positive developments.
For so long now the country has made tangible progress in so many areas — a stronger army, new roads and building and more schools and health centers and economic opportunities — that these are no longer just campaign slogans to be dumped after elections.
This is also a reason for why external parties are interested in reversing Somalia’s current progress of building its institutions and becoming more self-reliant, for their own economic interests to be retained.
Today, the Horn of Africa has become a region of great geo-political competition and the realization is dawning on external parties that with every step of development and growing economic independence, Somalia’s growing need for self-reliance could threaten their interests and the status-quo.
Some external actors even could be worried should Somalia start gaining ground in terms of developing its natural resources and start to go for an independent and sound foreign policy in order to strengthen its national interests.
Indeed, for a long time now Somalia has been dependent on foreign aid and is unstable. As a result, it is easy to influence the country.
Are they helping for Somalia?
Instead of questioning whether or not Somalia should be working with Türkiye, Gulf States, and Western Countries, the question should be, are these countries helping to further the national interests of Somalia?
Do they strengthen institutions?
Do they improve security?
Do they create opportunities for Somali citizens?
Do they help build a self-reliant economy?
On these key measures, the Somalia-Türkiye partnership is delivering. However, it is important to remember that the future of Somalia will be built by the Somali people.
The objective of a meaningful foreign partnership is to facilitate and speed up the development of that future. It cannot be built by another foreign country for the Somali people.
As the country moves on from recovery to growth and from dependence on foreign aid to self-reliance, the constructive investment made over the last fifteen years is slowly coming to fruition.
Somalia’s emerging status as a potential oil-rich country, therefore, is not an isolated event but a culmination of years of constructive investment in security, infrastructure, education and institutions.
Finally, Türkiye’s engagement with Somalia represents a historic case of state-building in partnership. The progress achieved to date is with the Somali people, and can continue as long as there is a shared vision of stability, prosperity and development for country, and a long-term commitment to support it.
Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, viewpoints and editorial policies of TRT Afrika.
