Somalia urges direct Türkiye shipping link as trade surpasses logistics capacity

Somali Ports and Maritime Transport Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur declared Thursday that direct shipping connections with Türkiye have become a strategic imperative as bilateral trade volumes overwhelm existing logistics infrastructure. Speaking on the sidelines of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation's 2nd Transport Ministers Conference in Istanbul, Nur emphasized that commercial exchanges between Mogadishu and Ankara have outgrown current arrangements. "The current level of trade between Somalia and Türkiye has moved beyond the present logistics structure," he stated, arguing that direct sea lines would reduce costs, shorten delivery times, and boost overall trade volume.

Somalia's Geostrategic Vision

Nur highlighted Somalia's pivotal geographic position as a natural bridge linking Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, South Asia, and the Indian Ocean basin. "The security of global trade is directly linked to the security of Somalia's coasts," he asserted, emphasizing that Horn of Africa stability is essential for Red Sea and Indian Ocean security. Somali ports serve not only national needs but also landlocked East African countries, making capacity expansion crucial for regional economic integration and supply chain resilience. The minister announced completion of feasibility studies for the New Mogadishu Port Project, now entering tender phase, and invited international investors to participate.

Deepening Strategic Partnership

Nur traced the evolution of Somali-Turkish relations from humanitarian cooperation during President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's landmark 2011 Mogadishu visit to today's comprehensive strategic partnership spanning defense, energy, education, infrastructure, fisheries, space, and maritime sectors. Direct maritime links would not only increase bilateral trade but also facilitate Turkish access to landlocked East African markets. Somalia envisions itself as a complementary player in global trade, with a maritime vision centered on connectivity enhancement, resilience strengthening, and regional prosperity promotion. Technical and diplomatic efforts toward establishing direct shipping routes are actively ongoing.