Türkiye's Role in Peacebuilding in the Horn of Africa

TRT Arabic

Author:Mustafa EFE

Head of the African Center for Strategic Studies (AFSAM)

X:mustafaefeTR

Türkiye has confirmed its principled rejection of any destabilization in the Horn of Africa, and this position constitutes an extension of other positions taken by Ankara in the region.

Turkish-Somali relations have reached unprecedented levels of joint cooperation, especially in recent years, which makes any development in Somalia the focus of Ankara's interest, which has adopted a policy supportive of stability in the Horn of Africa.

As the country with the longest coastline on the African continent, with a coastline of 3,330 kilometers, Mogadishu found itself facing many challenges, such as piracy, terrorist attacks, chemical waste, and illegal fishing, in addition to the state of war it has witnessed over the past three decades.

The year 2011 represented the most important turning point in Turkish-Somali relations after President Erdogan’s visit to the Somali capital, Mogadishu, during his prime ministership, after famine struck the country and it was exhausted by war and chaos, and countries refrained even from opening embassies there. Erdogan’s visit inaugurated a new era between the two countries.

After the visit, Erdogan issued instructions to all Turkish state institutions to do everything necessary to help in the reconstruction of Somalia, and Turkish non-governmental organizations participated in this effort, the effects of which appeared in the fields of economy, health and education, in addition to combating famine and chaos, and the Turkish-Somali efforts were able In achieving remarkable successes in Mogadishu and its environs.

Türkiye has expressed on every occasion its adherence and support to the unity and territorial integrity of Somalia, and opened the largest military training base inside Somalia at the end of September 2017, where Somali soldiers undergo regular military training, the first that army members have received in Somalia.

In this context, it becomes not surprising that an agreement for defense and economic cooperation was concluded between Türkiye and Somalia, after Türkiye confirmed its principled rejection of any destabilization in the Horn of Africa. This position constitutes an extension of other positions taken by Ankara after it stood by the Ethiopian government in the Tigray war.

"Ankara Declaration"

In 2013, Türkiye led mediation and dialogue between the President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and the President of the Somaliland region, Ahmed Silanu, which ended in what was known as the “Ankara Declaration.”

The declaration was signed on April 13, 2013, and the Somali government was represented by Minister Abdul Karim Guled, while it was signed by Minister Mohamed Omar on behalf of Somaliland.

The declaration affirmed the value of the dialogue and the importance of its continuation. The two parties also pledged to avoid any actions that would jeopardize the dialogue process and facilitate the entry of international aid into Somalia.

Defense and Economic Cooperation Agreement

Turkish-Somali relations moved to a new stage after the signing of the “Framework Agreement for Defense and Economic Cooperation” on February 8.

It is important and useful here to remember that Türkiye signed this agreement based on the Ankara Declaration, which makes it consistent with international law.

Due to the strategic importance of the agreement, the Somali Parliament was quick to ratify it and put it into effect, which demonstrates the seriousness of the situation the region is going through.

The defense agreement between Ankara and Mogadishu stipulates that Türkiye will revive the Somali navy and help Somalia in developing and exploiting its natural resources and combating terrorism, piracy and other threats. The Somali side announced that its country’s doors are open to countries that wish to work jointly within the framework of international law.

For his part, the Somali Minister of Information, Daoud Aweys, said through his account on social media that the agreement works as a stabilizing force in the Horn of Africa. Aweys focused his statement on the fact that Türkiye is a member of NATO and a close ally of Somalia, noting that the historic agreement, which extends for ten years. years will significantly enhance the Somali government's efforts to protect its sovereignty.

The agreement came after the Federal Republic of Ethiopia and the Somaliland region signed a memorandum of understanding allowing Ethiopia to access the Red Sea by leasing a coastline of about 20 kilometers along the Gulf of Aden, in exchange for recognizing the Somaliland region as an independent state.

The word "sovereignty" was common in all statements, as it reveals the nature and importance of the agreement, especially since its signing came directly after attempts to interfere in Somalia's sovereignty.

The Turkish movement to maintain stability in the Horn of Africa was not limited to Somalia. Rather, Türkiye recently signed the “Cooperation Agreement in the Field of Military Training, the Military Financial Cooperation Agreement, and the Protocol for Implementing Cash Aid” with Djibouti in the presence of the Turkish Defense Minister, Yaşar Guler, and his Djiboutian counterpart, Hassan Omar Mohamed.

Regional developments and the defense agreement

The improvement of Turkish relations with the UAE, Egypt and Saudi Arabia reflected positively on the scene in Somalia, which enabled the signing of this defense agreement without being subject to interference or disruption from any of the regional and international powers that recognized the importance of the Turkish role in maintaining security in the Horn of Africa.

In addition, although the Somali Federal Government and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding stipulating the construction of five military bases for the elite forces of the Somali National Army, trained by the United States, known as the “Danab Brigade” (Lightning), their importance and media presence remained limited, compared to the agreement. Turkish-Somali defence.

When it comes to Türkiye, Somalis from different political factions do not hesitate to look at it from the same perspective. In other words, the issue of relations with Türkiye has now become a non-partisan and non-negotiable issue for Somalia.

Citizens in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, organized a demonstration in support of the agreement, and in the demonstration attended by local residents, in addition to many representatives and ministers, the Minister of State for Security Affairs, Mohamed Ali Hajja, said, addressing the audience: “We are here to express our gratitude and appreciation for the historic agreement that we signed with Türkiye.” “Türkiye is a country with which we have had good relations for centuries, and it has always been aware of the problems suffered by the Somali people.”

The agreement signed between Türkiye and Somalia has historical importance, and would change balances and establish a new balance, and even countries such as the United States of America, England, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Ethiopia, which do not feel comfortable with this agreement, actually agree that Türkiye’s step is justified and necessary for the safety of Somalia.

 In this agreement, Türkiye demonstrated that it is the pivotal country in the Horn of Africa, and the guarantor of its security and political stability. Recent developments also demonstrate the success of the “Defense Industry for Peace” strategy. Türkiye supplies most countries in the region with defense industry products, which gives it influence that it uses to maintain the security and stability of the region. In contrast to the American policies that work to divide the countries of the region by identifying “Somaliland” with the Taiwanese issue.

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