Somalia, Turkey Strengthen Ties with Oil and Gas Exploration Deal

Officials from Somalia and Turkey have announced the signing of an agreement to collaborate on oil and gas exploration, marking a crucial step in enhancing bilateral cooperation between the two nations.

The deal, formalized on Thursday in Turkey, aims to foster the development of scientific, technical, and commercial cooperation between Turkey and Somalia in the exploration and development of Somalia’s oil and gas resources.
Somalia Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Abdirizak Mohamed revealed that Turkey will conduct exploration activities for oil and gas both onshore and offshore in
Minister Mohamed outlined the comprehensive nature of the agreement, stating, “The Turkish will do the exploration, appraisal, and development and production of petroleum from onshore and offshore blocks of the Federal Republic of Somalia, as well as distribution, and maybe a refinery sale of petroleum and its product and service operations related to these projects.” He clarified that the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) is yet to be finalized.
The agreement is a key component of the Defense and Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement, established by the two countries last month and set to last for a decade.
Under the agreement, Turkey is committed to constructing, training, and equipping the Somali navy, as outlined by Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre.
Minister Mohamed indicated that a subsequent agreement will outline the specifics of the production-sharing arrangement and provide a timeline for the implementation of the deal.
Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar expressed his satisfaction with the agreement, posting on social media platform X. (formerly known as Twitter), “With this agreement, we will carry out joint activities to bring the resources of Somalia to the Somali people. We aim to strengthen Turkey’s presence in the Horn of Africa with new collaborations in the field of energy.”
Turkey’s involvement in Somalia dates back to 2011 when then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the country during a severe famine.
Also, Turkey opened a large military facility in Somalia in September 2017, focusing on training Somali security forces.