Turkey’s New Envoy Begins Somalia Tenure With Youth Engagement

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: Turkey’s newly appointed ambassador to Somalia, Ferhat Alkan, has begun his diplomatic mission in Mogadishu by meeting Somali youth, including former students who studied in Turkey, as Ankara and Mogadishu mark six decades of diplomatic relations.

Alkan met the group at Beydan Coffee, a Mogadishu café founded by Somali young people who previously studied in Turkey, where discussions focused on Somalia’s future and the direction of relations between the two countries.

The ambassador said the informal meeting provided an opportunity to hear directly from Somali youth and exchange ideas about the countries’ longstanding partnership.

Turkey and Somalia should continue building their relationship on mutual respect, trust and shared interests, Alkan said, describing the two countries as “friendly and brotherly” nations.

He added that the views of Turkish citizens and Somali partners would be important as the two countries pursue what he described as a “joint journey”.

According to the ambassador, Somali youth who attended the meeting expressed satisfaction with what they viewed as improvements in security and stability in Mogadishu and surrounding areas.

Alkan takes up his post as Turkey and Somalia commemorate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations, as well as 15 years since Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s landmark visit to Somalia in 2011, when he was prime minister.

That visit marked a major expansion of Turkish engagement in Somalia, with cooperation subsequently growing across humanitarian assistance, infrastructure, healthcare, education, security and development, as well as defence, energy and the blue economy.

Alkan succeeds Aper Aktaş, who recently completed his tenure as Turkey’s ambassador to Somalia. He said the Turkish Embassy in Mogadishu would remain open to Somali citizens and those seeking to strengthen ties between the two countries.