Somalia-Türkiye defence agreement bears inaugural results

A Turkish Navy ship has arrived at the Port of Mogadishu following the signing of a defence and economic agreement between Somalia and Türkiye in February this year.

The Kinaliada F514 docked at the port on Tuesday, two months after the landmark agreement signed between the two countries, under which Türkiye agreed to provide maritime security support to Somalia.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, several ministers, and the Turkish ambassador to Somalia, Alper Aktas, attended the welcoming ceremony.

Addressing the ceremony, President Mohamud praised Türkiye for having helped Somalia many times, calling it a "friendly and brotherly country," and thanked Ankara for the agreement to protect Somalia.

He thanked Ankara for the defence agreement and added that Somalia's navy will now become stronger.

Somali Defence Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur told Anadolu Agency that the agreement signifies the strong ties between the two countries.

'Historic' pact

Türkiye and Somalia's defence ministers signed the cooperation agreement in February to enhance bilateral relations and the region's stability.

The agreement is a 10-year pact that will “significantly” bolster the Somalia government’s endeavours to safeguard its sovereignty, Information Minister Daud Aweis said after the pact gained parliament approval in his country.

Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre had similarly hailed the pact as “historic,” thanking the government of Türkiye and its people for their steady support for the government and people of the Horn of Africa nation.

Ankara has its largest embassy in Africa in Mogadishu and also built its largest overseas military facility there to train the Somali national army.