Somalia-Turkey security deal to deter terrorism, piracy and Ethiopia’s territorial designs — experts

The defense cooperation agreement between Somalia and Turkey signed earlier this month (8 February) aims to achieve several objectives, experts say, including Ankara’s helping Mogadishu secure its maritime interests and serving as a counterbalance against the recent Ethiopian controversial deal with the breakaway region of Somaliland.
The defense cooperation agreement Somalia inked with Turkey last week would see Ankara help Mogadishu secure its maritime interests, according to experts. “Upon Somalia’s request, we will provide support in the field of maritime security, as we did in the field of fight against terrorism,” a senior official from the Turkish Defense Ministry told reporters. This move comes amid rising tensions in the Horn of Africa region after Ethiopia and the breakaway region of Somaliland inked a controversial agreement granting Addis Ababa access to the Red Sea. Somalia fiercely denounced the Ethiopia-Somaliland agreement as a blatant breach of its territorial sovereignty, raising concerns of a wider conflict as several major powers are vying for influence in the strategic region.
Turkey now has a large military base in Mogadishu, it has reportedly trained more than 16,000 Somali forces, an equivalent of one-third of the military, and Turkish firms operate the city’s airport and port. “For sure, the Turkish naval presence in the Somali territorial waters would be a deterrent against terrorism, piracy and others,” Mehmet Ozkan, a professor at Turkey’s National Defense University, said. “But Ankara isn’t looking for adventure to go to war against other nations.” Ozkan also added that “the Turkish presence in Somalia has many aims, but in terms of direct Turkish national interest, the benefits are limited.” According to Ismail D. Osman, former deputy director of Somalia National Intelligence & Security Agency (NISA), “this ten year agreement emphasizes an approach to boosting Somalia’s integration into the economy with a special emphasis on marine resources as well as ensuring regional stability through an inclusive defense strategy.”