Garowe (Somalia Today) – Somalia’s Puntland state warned Sunday that SOMTURK and other foreign entities must not operate in Somali waters off Puntland’s coast without approval from Garowe, deepening a dispute with the federal government over maritime resources and regional authority.
In a statement issued in Garowe, Puntland said it held “constitutional and jurisdictional authorities and rights to control, manage, explore and utilise its resources”, including marine and blue economy resources along its coastline on the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden.
The regional administration said “no foreign private or governmental companies, including SOMTURK”, may carry out fisheries investment, coastguard work or other activities in waters along Puntland’s coastline without prior authorisation from Puntland authorities.
“Any entity that undertakes to operate within the territorial seawaters and land of Puntland without prior consent from the concerned Puntland authorities shall be subject to inspection and law enforcement measures,” the statement said.
Federal dispute
The warning highlights a careful but significant constitutional dispute.
Somalia’s federal government remains responsible for the country’s sovereignty, borders, territorial waters and international agreements.
But Puntland argues that resources and operations along its coastline require consultation and approval from the federal member state under Somalia’s still-unfinished federal settlement.
Puntland said federal agencies had “no legal authority to grant concessions” or sign investment agreements with domestic or foreign entities covering Puntland’s land territory or Somali waters off its coast without approval from the regional government.
The statement cited Articles 44, 51, 52, 53, 54 and 142 of Somalia’s 2012 Provisional Federal Constitution, as well as Articles 4 and 54 of the Puntland Constitution.
Puntland said those provisions support its position that resource-sharing, federal powers and responsibilities remain subject to negotiation between Mogadishu and federal member states.
It also said agencies of the federal government whose “legitimate mandate has expired” could not authorise concessions affecting areas it says fall under its jurisdiction.
SOMTURK row
The warning follows the creation of SOMTURK under a Somalia-Türkiye fisheries arrangement that has stirred concern in Puntland.
SOMTURK says Somalia’s Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy designated it to provide technical services for processing foreign fishing licence applications in Somalia’s Exclusive Economic Zone, covering waters from 24 to 200 nautical miles offshore.
Turkish industrial group OYAK has said SOMTURK was established in Somalia in December 2025 to support licensing processes for fisheries activities in Somali waters.
Somali officials have presented the arrangement as part of a broader effort to regulate fishing, raise revenue and strengthen management of the country’s vast maritime resources.
Puntland, however, says any such arrangement must respect Somalia’s federal structure and the role of regional authorities in managing resources along their coastlines.
“Puntland remains committed to constructive engagement with the FGS, the International Partners and Governments,” the statement said.
It added that Puntland welcomed investment cooperation that respected “Somalia’s federal constitutional framework and the Constitution of Puntland State of Somalia”.
Ankara’s growing role
Türkiye has become one of Somalia’s closest foreign partners since President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Mogadishu in 2011, when many foreign leaders still avoided the Somali capital because of insecurity.
Ankara has since built infrastructure, trained Somali security forces, offered scholarships and opened its largest overseas military facility in Mogadishu.
Somalia and Türkiye signed a defence and economic cooperation agreement in 2024 under which Ankara agreed to help Somalia strengthen maritime security and combat illegal activity at sea.
Türkiye also signed an offshore oil and natural gas cooperation deal with Somalia in March 2024, covering exploration, development and production in land and sea blocks.
Those agreements came as Somalia sought to assert control over its coastline and maritime resources, particularly after Ethiopia signed a separate Red Sea access deal with Somaliland, a breakaway region that Somalia says remains part of its territory.
Political standoff
The maritime dispute comes amid a broader political rupture between Puntland and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s federal government.
In remarks during Independence Week celebrations, Hassan Sheikh accused Puntland’s leadership of cutting almost all working ties with Mogadishu and blocking federal programmes meant for people in the region.
“The Somali brothers and sisters in Puntland know it, we know it, and Allah knows it: the leadership there has cut Somalia off from every side,” Hassan Sheikh said.
“Apart from saying verbally that they are part of the republic, today there is nothing between the federal government and Puntland. Everything has been cut and stopped,” he added.
The president also accused Puntland authorities of blocking the recruitment and payment of hundreds of teachers intended for schools in the region.
“I can no longer hide that the administration led by Said Deni refused and obstructed the development of education and the recruitment of school teachers,” he said.
Hassan Sheikh said the federal system was aimed at bringing services closer to people, not dividing Somali citizens.
“We federalised the system and the services delivered to the people. We did not federalise the Somali people,” he said.
Puntland said in March 2024 that it would no longer recognise the federal government after disputed constitutional changes passed in Mogadishu.
Garowe said it would deal with the federal authorities as an independent administration until the constitution goes to a national referendum.
Somalia’s parliament later approved further constitutional amendments, but Puntland and some opposition figures continued to reject the process, accusing the federal government of pushing through changes without broad national consensus.
