President Mohamud to Press Security, Investment Agenda in Talks with Turkey

GOOBJOOG NEWS | ISTANBUL: President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has arrived in Turkey for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan focused on security cooperation, economic investment and regional diplomacy, as Mogadishu seeks to consolidate international support for its state-building drive.

Sources privy to the meeting said the agenda will prioritise defence and security collaboration, including continued Turkish support to Somali security forces, alongside discussions on trade, infrastructure investment and development assistance aimed at accelerating economic recovery.

The talks are expected to reinforce Turkey’s role in Somalia’s stabilisation at a time when Mogadishu is working to strengthen institutions, expand domestic revenue and improve security conditions across the country. Officials said Ankara’s backing remains critical to Somalia’s efforts to combat militant threats, modernise infrastructure and attract foreign investment.

President Mohamud’s visit also carries a regional diplomatic dimension. En route to Istanbul, he held talks in Djibouti with President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh focused on coordinating positions to protect Somalia’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity amid evolving dynamics in the Horn of Africa.

Turkey has been a key partner for Somalia for more than a decade, delivering humanitarian aid, building roads, ports and hospitals, and supporting security sector reform.

The Istanbul meetings are expected to translate into renewed commitments that strengthen Somalia’s security, boost economic confidence and deepen its strategic partnerships as the country pushes ahead with long-term stabilisation and development plans.