File Photo/Somali Times
The Turkish government has strongly denied allegations that it is the “new colonialist” of Somalia, insisting that its relations with Somalia are based on cooperation, mutual interest and friendly support.
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Cemalettin Kani Torun, a member of the Turkish Parliament, said that Ankara has always respected the unity, independence and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
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The MP pointed out that Turkey works with Somalia on issues of development, security, education and infrastructure, noting that Ankara’s support is not based on colonial interests or political interference.
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The statement comes at a time of increasing debate regarding Turkey’s growing role in Somalia, especially in the areas of security, economy and development projects it implements within the country.
Turkey has also recently denied that it is unilaterally exploiting Somalia’s natural resources and energy, especially oil.
Ankara said the spread of fake news was aimed at “distorting the truth” and undermining the joint cooperation between Somalia and Turkey.
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“Social media discussions that attempt to portray Turkey as the only country benefiting from Somalia’s oil exploration are baseless and aim to damage the cooperation between the two countries,” said a statement from the Turkish Presidential Communications Directorate.
The Turkish statement also said: “The agreement signed by TPAO and the Somali Petroleum Agency clearly states that natural resources belong to the Somali people.”
Ankara also pointed out that Turkey-Somalia relations are based on mutual cooperation between two independent countries.
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“Therefore, we strongly urge not to believe fake news and misleading information that target the strengthening cooperation between the two countries.”
However, Turkey has now begun oil drilling activities in Somalia, targeting reserves in the seabed, which were previously identified after a comprehensive survey conducted by the research vessel Oruç Reis in 2025.