Burhanettin Duran, head of the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications, said on Wednesday that Türkiye absolutely opposes Israel’s genocide in Palestine and aggression in the region and would not allow it to spread to the Horn of Africa.
“Any attempt targeting Somalia’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity and actions to legitimize them are unacceptable. Türkiye stands with Somalia as it did in the past,” he told a panel in Ankara entitled “Turkish-Somalian Relations Amid Global Transformation.”
Türkiye is a close ally of Somalia with which it established diplomatic relations 60 years ago and expanded its clout in the Horn of Africa in the past two decades. Recognition of breakaway Somaliland by Israel has angered Ankara, which opposes Israel’s regional expansionism and ongoing genocide in Gaza.
At the panel organized by the Directorate of Communications, Duran said Turkish-Somalian relations have deepened and earned new dimensions after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan launched Türkiye’s “Africa opening” in 2005. The initiative aims to reconnect with African countries with a win-win approach, instead of the colonialist attitudes of the West. He reiterated Erdoğan’s 2011 visit to Somalia, which had repercussions across the world.
“We will never allow attempts to divide Somalia. This is Türkiye’s principle. We openly oppose Israel’s recognition of Somaliland. We are determined to continue our support for Somalia’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity. The Horn of Africa’s fate should be determined by fate and stability, not by imposition,” he said.
Israel became the only country in the world to recognize Somaliland's independence in December – something the territory has been seeking since declaring its autonomy from Somalia in 1991.
The government in Mogadishu and international organizations like the U.N. still see Somaliland as an integral part of Somalia.
Shortly after Israel's recognition at the end of December, social media was flooded with photos of men and women displaying the Israeli flag – one of them even using it as a hijab.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, on the other hand, denounced it as "the greatest violation of Somalia's sovereignty" and a "threat to the security and stability of the world and the region."
The African Union and most Arab countries threw their support behind Somalia and condemned the move.
The U.S., however, defended what it said was Israel's right to recognize Somaliland, although President Donald Trump said he was unlikely to follow suit, despite pressure from some within his Republican party.
Duran said Türkiye neglected Africa in the past, but under the leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, a transformation began that freed foreign policy from this problematic perspective and made Africa one of its main areas of focus.
“We support the economic development and capacity-building needs of African countries. In addition, we support the security and stability of African nations and encourage bilateral cooperation in the defense industry. We assume a facilitating or mediating role in disputes that arise in the region, based on the trust placed in Türkiye. We also cooperate with regional organizations across the continent and coordinate with African countries,” he said.
Duran noted that, thanks to Erdoğan’s strong and effective leadership, these efforts have increased Türkiye’s prestige on the continent and enabled the establishment of relations with African partners on the basis of equality and mutual understanding. He said Türkiye’s presence in Africa today disturbs many countries with different ambitions.
“These countries continue to make the mistake of viewing the African continent as a playground for great powers. As if it were not enough that they depict a vast continent as much smaller on physical maps, they also circulate a narrative in the communications sphere that ignores all of the continent’s beauty, wealth and potential, focusing instead on crisis and chaos,” he lamented.
“Our approach is very different. Evaluating Africa through one-dimensional readings means missing the continent’s real story. Africa is a continent of ancient civilizations, unique natural beauty and rich cultural diversity. Today, with its young and dynamic population, abundant resources and steps toward regional integration, Africa is becoming one of the new centers of attraction in the global economy. For this reason, we approach our relations with Africa on the basis of equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit. This is the most important factor that distinguishes us from other countries and brings Africa closer to us,” he added.
Speaking at Wednesday’s event in Ankara, Somalia’s Minister of Ports and Marine Transport Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur reminded that Türkiye was one of the first countries to recognize Somalia’s independence in 1960, and Somalis have always viewed Türkiye as friends standing with them in their struggles.
“Our diplomatic relations did not reflect their potential in the past, and we saw how they transformed in 2011 (with Erdoğan’s visit),” he said.
“Mr. Erdoğan visited Mogadishu at a time when everyone turned their backs on Somalia. This changed the course of history. He traveled somewhere nobody wanted to visit and became a hope for a country where others considered beyond reparation,” he said.
Daud Aweis Jama, minister of information, culture and tourism, said Türkiye and Somalia had a strategic partnership and, beyond that,the two countries had a deep-rooted history. He emphasized cooperation with Türkiye in many fields, from the economy and maritime commerce to energy.
Jama noted that Somalia had Africa’s largest coast, and they worked with Türkiye to transform the coast from a fragile hot spot to a place to generate wealth. He noted that they established significant cooperation for the extraction of land and maritime resources, pointing to joint deepwater survey projects planned for this year.
