Faith Nyasuguta
Turkey is preparing to send naval support to Somali waters following an agreement that will see an exploration vessel deployed off Somalia’s coast to search for oil and gas.
President Tayyip Erdogan submitted a motion to the Turkish parliament on Friday, seeking authorization for the deployment of Turkish military forces to Somalia, including its territorial waters.
This development comes a day after Turkey’s Energy Ministry announced plans to send an exploration vessel to the Somali coast later this year as part of a hydrocarbon cooperation agreement between the two nations. Earlier in the year, Turkey and Somalia signed a defense and economic cooperation agreement during the Somali Defense Minister’s visit to Ankara, Turkey’s capital.
In recent years, Turkey has strengthened its alliance with the Somali government, contributing significantly to the nation’s infrastructure by building schools, hospitals, and other facilities, and offering scholarships for Somali students to study in Turkey.
In 2017, Turkey inaugurated its largest overseas military base in Mogadishu and has since provided extensive training to Somali military and police forces.
In April, the Somali government announced that Turkey would begin drilling for oil off its extensive coastline starting next year. This was confirmed by Mohamed Hashi Abdi ‘Arabey’, the Director General of the Somali Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, during an interview with the BBC Somali Service.
Abdi’s statements echoed those of Turkey’s Energy and Natural Resources Minister, Alparslan Bayraktar, who indicated plans for a deep-sea oil drilling operation commencing in early 2025.
Abdi stated, “It is correct, and it is part of the agreement we reached with Turkey. They will begin seismic works and drilling at the coasts facing Barawe and Hobbio districts.” Barawe is located about 200 km south of Mogadishu, while Hobbio is approximately 500 km to the northeast.
Bayraktar, in a recent interview on Turkish broadcaster NTV, highlighted, “There is a place on the Somali seaside we consider may have oil reserves. We will start seismic work, and we want to do deep-sea drilling in 2025.”
The collaboration between Turkey and Somalia marks a significant step in the exploration and potential extraction of oil and gas resources in the region, reflecting the deepening economic and defense ties between the two countries.
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