President Mohamud Opens Somalia’s First Maritime Conference as Turkey Eyes Fisheries Investment

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: Federal Government of Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has opened the country’s first Maritime Conference, calling attention to Somalia’s ambitions to expand its blue economy as Turkey announced plans to deploy fishing vessels to the country.

Speaking at the conference in Mogadishu, Turkish Ambassador Alper Aktaş said improved security had created conditions that were making commercial activities and foreign investment increasingly viable along Somalia’s coastline.

“Fifteen years ago, because of terrorism, it was difficult to work on the opportunities we are working on today. But now security is good, and we will bring fishing vessels to the country,” Aktaş said.

The ambassador did not provide a timeline for the deployment of the vessels or disclose the scale of the planned investment.

President Hassan Sheikh said the conference marked an important step in advancing Somalia’s maritime agenda, bringing together government officials, industry representatives and international partners to discuss maritime governance, protection of Somalia’s territorial waters, expansion of maritime transport and the development of the country’s blue economy.

The announcement comes as Somalia steps up efforts to attract investment into fisheries, ports, maritime transport and other coastal industries. Policymakers view the maritime sector as a key driver of economic growth, employment and food security, although illegal fishing, limited infrastructure and regulatory challenges continue to constrain the industry’s development.

With a coastline stretching more than 3,300 kilometres (2,050 miles) along the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden, Somalia has one of Africa’s richest marine resource bases. Yet decades of conflict, piracy and underinvestment have left much of the fisheries sector untapped.

Turkey has become one of Somalia’s closest international partners over the past decade, expanding cooperation in infrastructure, healthcare, education, humanitarian assistance, security and defence. The two countries have also strengthened maritime ties through agreements covering naval cooperation and offshore resource development, reflecting Ankara’s growing strategic and economic engagement in the Horn of Africa.

While Somali authorities say recent security improvements have helped create a more favourable environment for investment, analysts note that Al-Shabaab continues to pose security challenges in parts of the country, underscoring the need for sustained stability if large-scale maritime investments are to succeed.

The planned deployment of Turkish fishing vessels reflects growing international interest in Somalia’s maritime economy as countries across the western Indian Ocean seek to strengthen regional trade, improve food security and unlock the economic potential of the blue economy.