Cooperation strengthening between Türkiye & Somalia in maritime sector

Türkiye's Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Durmuş Ünüvar, stated during his visit to Somalia that significant meetings were held to enhance cooperation between the two countries, particularly in maritime and transportation sectors, and that relations will be advanced further based on a "win-win" approach.​

Cooperation Strengthening in Maritime Sector

In statements made in the capital Mogadishu, Ünüvar said that they met with various state officials as part of the contacts and concluded with a meeting with Somali Ports and Sea Transport Minister Abdülkadir Mohamed Nur.

Ünüvar drew attention to 2011 as a turning point in Türkiye-Somalia relations, emphasizing that everything shifted to a different dimension following President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's visit to Somalia during his tenure as prime minister. He noted that they were extremely well received in Somalia and that maritime cooperation was discussed in detail during the meetings.

"Türkiye Wants to Share This Power with Somalia"

Ünüvar conveyed that Türkiye has 217 ports, 192 of which hold international port status, five of Türkiye's ports rank among the top 100 ports worldwide, and Türkiye holds the 10th position globally in terms of its maritime fleet. Expressing that Türkiye wants to share this power with Somalia, Ünüvar stated that Somalia is in a strategic location in terms of international maritime affairs.

Ünüvar said that Somalia's membership in international maritime platforms needs to be strengthened and its capacity developed, and that Türkiye is sharing its experience in this process with Somalia.

"Dominance Over the Sea is an Important Part of National Sovereignty"

Ünüvar announced that contact points will be determined between the two ministries and that work will be done on concrete projects beneficial to Somalia.

Ünüvar stated, "Dominance over the sea is an important part of national sovereignty," emphasizing the great importance of trained human resources in this context. Reminding that Türkiye has been a member of the International Maritime Organization since 1999, Ünüvar concluded his remarks by saying that relations with Somalia will strengthen further in maritime affairs, just as in every field, on the basis of mutual benefit.

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Türkiye-Somalia Cooperation Developing in Multiple Dimensions Since 2011

Cooperation between Türkiye and Somalia has been developing in multiple dimensions such as security, military training, economy, health, education, and infrastructure construction since 2011. In the maritime sector, the port in the capital Mogadishu, selected as East Africa's best port in 2025, is Somalia's largest port and is operated by Turkish company Albayrak Holding. Through the TÜRKSOM Military Training Base in Mogadishu, Türkiye trains the Somali army, providing strategic support to the country's stability in defense, maritime security, energy exploration, and development aid (Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency and Turkish Red Crescent).