Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan emphasized the importance of political dialogue, national unity, and stability in Somalia during talks with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. The two leaders met on the sidelines of the COP31 United Nations climate summit in Antalya, Turkey. They discussed bilateral cooperation in defense and energy, as well as regional political and security developments.
Erdoğan reaffirmed Ankara's commitment to strengthening its strategic partnership with Somalia and expressed hope that the country's national dialogue process would succeed. He highlighted that peace and stability in Somalia remained important to Türkiye. The Turkish leader's remarks come amid growing tensions between the federal government and opposition groups over constitutional amendments and the timetable for national elections.
The government of Hassan Sheikh maintains that amendments extending presidential and parliamentary terms from four to five years provide the legal basis for elections scheduled in 2027. However, opposition groups, including the Somali Future Council, and regional administrations of Puntland and Jubaland have rejected the changes, arguing that they were adopted without sufficient political consensus.
Türkiye's ambassador to Somalia, Ferhat Alkan, has been engaged in diplomatic efforts with prominent opposition figures in Mogadishu. Alkan held separate meetings with former Presidents Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo and Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, as well as former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire, to discuss Somalia's political situation and the importance of continued dialogue.
President Hassan Sheikh has invited opposition groups, including the Somali Future Council and Nabad iyo Nolol, along with civil society representatives, to a national consultative forum in Mogadishu. The forum aims to resolve disagreements over the electoral process. Opposition leaders have called for an inclusive political agreement and renewed negotiations based on previous mediation efforts.
Türkiye has previously played a role in facilitating dialogue between Somalia's federal government and opposition groups. In July, Turkish intelligence officials helped facilitate political talks involving government and opposition representatives under Erdoğan's direction. Ankara maintains extensive ties with Mogadishu, particularly in military training, defense cooperation, maritime security, and energy development.
During the meeting, Erdoğan reaffirmed Türkiye's determination to deepen cooperation with Somalia, particularly in defense and energy, while encouraging political stability. The Turkish presidency's statement did not indicate that Erdoğan had specifically asked Hassan Sheikh to negotiate with the Somali Future Council or other named opposition groups.
Key points
- Erdoğan emphasized the importance of national unity, political consultation, and social cohesion in Somalia.
- Türkiye has extensive ties with Mogadishu, particularly in military training, defense cooperation, maritime security, and energy development.
- The national consultative forum in Mogadishu aims to resolve disagreements over the electoral process.
