Türkiye, Somalia boost diplomatic ties with new training partnership
Former Turkish military chief of staff General Hulusi Akar and a Somali soldier participate during the opening ceremony of a Turkish military base in Mogadishu, Somalia September 30, 2017 (Reuters Photo)
Somalia’s Foreign Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi met with Mesut Ozcan, the director of the Diplomatic Academy of Türkiye, in Mogadishu late Monday. The discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in diplomatic training and expanding the knowledge base for diplomats.
According to a statement from the Somali Foreign Ministry, the meeting also addressed strengthening ties between the Turkish academy and the Somali Diplomatic Institute. The goal is to elevate the partnership and foster a robust exchange of experiences and best practices. Fiqi expressed deep gratitude to Türkiye for its ongoing support to Somalia.
Over the past 15 years, Türkiye has trained more than 80 Somali diplomats. The relationship between Somalia and Türkiye began to solidify in 2011, following a visit by then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was the first non-African leader to visit Somalia in over two decades.
Türkiye’s support extends beyond diplomacy, with over 150 development aid projects conducted by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) since 2011. Additionally, Türkiye has its largest embassy in Africa in Mogadishu and has established its largest overseas military facility there to train the Somali National Army.
