Türkiye, Somalia sign defense cooperation deal

ANKARA

Türkiye and Somalia inked a defense agreement on Feb. 8, aimed at bolstering military cooperation and strengthening ties.

The Defense and Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement was formalized during an official visit by Somali Defense Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur to Ankara, where he met with his Turkish counterpart, Yaşar Güler.

Describing the meeting as "fruitful," Güler expressed optimism about the future of military relations between Türkiye and Somalia. "Somalia is an important partner of Türkiye in Africa," he stated.

During a joint press conference, Nur highlighted the pivotal aspects of the agreement, emphasizing its focus on counterterrorism efforts and military-financial cooperation. "We believe that the agreement will contribute greatly to Somalia," he said.

Nur's visit to the capital holds added significance against the backdrop of simmering tensions in the Horn of Africa. A recent agreement between Somaliland and Ethiopia, which granted Addis Ababa access to the Red Sea in exchange for recognizing the breakaway region of Somaliland, has led to heightened tensions in the region.

Somalia rejected the agreement as a violation of its sovereignty. Ankara has publicly backed the territorial integrity of Somalia in the face of tensions.