Somalia, Turkey Ink Deal to Expand Military Cooperation after Istanbul Talks

GOOBJOOG NEWS | ISTANBUL: Somalia and Turkey have agreed to deepen military cooperation following high-level talks in Istanbul focused on strengthening the operational capacity of the Somali armed forces.

The talks were held during a high level meeting between Defence Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi and Haluk Görgün, head of Türkiye’s Defence Industry Agency (SSB), on the sidelines of the SAHA EXPO 2026.

The two sides agreed to enhance cooperation in defence capacity-building, technical support and security coordination as Somalia seeks to modernise its military institutions.

The discussions also focused on strengthening operational readiness through training, advanced defence systems and closer institutional collaboration between the two countries.

Minister Fiqi and his delegation additionally held engagements with Turkish defence industry representatives to identify further areas of support for the Somali National Armed Forces.

The talks reflect growing strategic defence ties between Mogadishu and Ankara as Somalia continues efforts to rebuild its security sector and intensify operations against militant groups.