Wednesday February 21, 2024
Mogadishu (HOL) - Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud commended the parliament for approving the Turkey-Somalia defense and economic cooperation pact on Wednesday, stating that the agreement aims to assist the Somali government in defending its country.
Addressing reporters in Mogadishu after his speech to the parliament, President Mohamud emphasized that the Turkish government will aid in protecting Somalia's seas and resources, including combating illegal fishing, preventing pollution along the coast, and addressing piracy.
"We requested assistance from Turkey not to engage in conflict with Ethiopia or attack another country. Their support is geared towards defending our nation. That's the agreement we've signed with Turkey," stated the President.
He further noted that the agreement will span ten years, during which time the Somali Navy will be established and equipped.
The Council of Ministers and both houses of parliament approved the agreement during separate extraordinary meetings in Mogadishu. The 10-year pact was signed by Somali Defense Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur and Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler during the former's visit to Turkey earlier this month.
The agreement entails training and equipment for the Somali Navy to safeguard the country's marine resources and counter threats such as terrorism and piracy. It is anticipated to facilitate more efficient utilization of Somalia's economic potential, spanning from fishing to tourism and energy resources.
The agreement includes training and equipment for the Somali Navy to help it protect the African country's marine resources and threats such as terrorism and piracy. For Somalia, it will pave the way for more efficient use of its potential economy, from fishing to tourism and energy resources.
Türkiye plays an active role in Somalia, from education to finance, through its nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to companies.
Tensions in the Horn of Africa have escalated after landlocked Ethiopia reached a memorandum of understanding with Somaliland on January 1 that gives it access to the sea.
The Somali government vehemently rejected the MoU, saying that the pact had no legal validity and would endanger regional stability. Somalia said there was no room for mediation in a dispute with Ethiopia unless Addis Ababa cancelled a controversial deal with the breakaway region of Somaliland.