ANKARA, Türkiye – Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud met with his Turkish counterpart, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, at the Presidential Complex in Ankara during his official working visit.
The high-level meeting, which took place on Thursday, focused on bolstering the long-standing relations between Somalia and Türkiye and expanding cooperation in critical areas of mutual interest.
According to a statement from Somalia’s State House, the discussions between the two leaders were both fruitful and comprehensive, centering on strengthening diplomatic ties and Türkiye’s ongoing support for Somalia’s security, economic development, and humanitarian efforts.
“The two Presidents held fruitful bilateral discussions focused on strengthening the longstanding historical ties between the two brotherly nations and exploring avenues to deepen Türkiye’s continued support in key areas, including the ongoing efforts to eliminate international terrorism in Somalia,” the statement read.
Türkiye has been a key strategic ally of Somalia, offering extensive assistance in infrastructure development, humanitarian aid, and military training.
The Turkish government has played a pivotal role in supporting Somalia’s fight against terrorism, particularly through military aid and training programs for Somali security forces.
During the meeting, President Mohamud and President Erdoğan reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing security cooperation to combat threats posed by extremist groups, including Al-Shabaab.
President Mohamud’s visit to Ankara comes at a time when Somalia is at critical point both politics and security with Al-Shabab militants ramped up its attacks on regions bordering the capital capital.
