Protesters rallied in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu on Saturday in support of a deal with Türkiye on maritime defence and the economy.
The 10-year deal was reached between the two countries earlier this month and commits Türkiye to defend Somali waters in the Indian Ocean and help rebuild its Horn of Africa ally’s navy.
It came amid rising tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia.
In early January, Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the self-proclaimed republic of Somaliland allowing Addis Ababa to set up a naval base in the Gulf of Aden.
In exchange, Ethiopia said it would recognize Somaliland’s independence.
Somalia, which counts Somaliland as part of its internationally recognized territory, condemned the agreement, saying it was an unacceptable violation of its sovereignty.
The European and African Unions, the Arab League and Egypt as well as the US and Türkiye have all called for Somalia’s sovereignty to be respected.
A massive crowd gathered at the Engineer Yarisow Stadium in Mogadishu on Saturday to celebrate the 10-year agreement between Somalia and Türkiye, carrying banners and praising ties between the two nations.
There are strong links between Somalia and Türkiye, which date back to the Ottoman Empire.
In different sectors, such as development, infrastructure and security, Türkiye has been a major partner for Somalia for years.
Türkiye has made a significant contribution to helping solve Somalia’s security challenges, in particular by training and supplying the Somali National Army.
It has also provided scholarships for Somali students to study in Turkish universities, further strengthening the ties between the two countries.
