Istanbul (Somalia Today) — President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Monday that Türkiye backs Somalia’s “territorial integrity and unity” and stands ready to contribute to efforts aimed at restoring calm and stability in the Horn of Africa, according to Türkiye’s communications directorate.
The Turkish readout said the leaders discussed bilateral ties and wider regional issues. Erdoğan also reiterated Türkiye’s support for Yemen’s unity and raised Gaza, urging urgent steps for reconstruction and an end to the humanitarian crisis.
The call comes just days after Israel became the first country to formally recognise Somaliland — Somalia’s self-declared breakaway region — as an independent state, a decision that has sharpened diplomatic tensions across the Horn of Africa and drawn debate at the United Nations.
Somaliland declared independence in 1991 after Somalia collapsed into civil war. It has built its own institutions and maintained relative stability, but it has long failed to win broad international recognition, with the African Union and most governments treating it as part of Somalia.
Israel announced the recognition in a joint declaration signed with Somaliland’s president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, and said it would pursue cooperation across sectors including health, agriculture, technology and the economy.
Somalia condemned the move as unlawful and said it would pursue diplomatic, political and legal steps to defend its sovereignty and internationally recognised borders.
At a UN Security Council meeting, Israel defended the decision as an opening for cooperation, while several states warned it could destabilise the region and fuel new disputes over borders and recognition.
Some delegations also questioned whether the move connected to broader regional aims linked to the Gaza war, allegations Israel did not address in the council session.
Türkiye’s Somalia stake
Türkiye has positioned itself as one of Mogadishu’s closest partners and a prominent defender of Somalia’s territorial integrity.
Erdoğan condemned Israel’s Somaliland decision last week as “illegal and unacceptable” during a joint appearance with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
Ankara’s support comes with a deepening strategic and economic footprint. Türkiye opened its largest overseas military training base in Mogadishu in 2017, and it has expanded defence cooperation with Somalia in recent years, including maritime security support agreements.
Energy has also become central to the relationship. Last week, Türkiye announced plans to launch its first overseas deepwater drilling operation in Somali waters in February, following a 2024 energy cooperation deal with Mogadishu.
Somaliland’s location helps explain the broader stakes. The territory sits along the Gulf of Aden near the Bab al-Mandab shipping corridor, a strategic route connecting the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean that has faced repeated security shocks during the Gaza war.
The UAE has built substantial commercial and security ties with Somaliland, most notably through Dubai-based DP World’s long-running investment in the port of Berbera.
The UAE has built substantial commercial and security ties with Somaliland, most notably through Dubai-based DP World’s long-running investment in the port of Berbera.
In a recent Reuters analysis, the UAE’s Somaliland ties drew renewed scrutiny after Israel’s recognition, with Reuters citing an Axios report that quoted Israeli officials as saying Abu Dhabi helped facilitate the diplomatic breakthrough.
The UAE has not publicly confirmed any role in Israel’s decision.
