A Turkish Navy vessel arrived at the Port of Mogadishu on Tuesday following the signing of a defense and economic agreement between Somalia and Türkiye in February this year.
The TCG Kınalıada F514 docked at the port two months after the landmark deal signed between the two countries, under which Türkiye committed to provide maritime security support to Somalia.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and several ministers as well as the Turkish Ambassador to Somalia Alper Aktaş attended the welcoming ceremony.
Mohamud said during the ceremony that Türkiye has helped Somalia many times, calling it a “friendly and brotherly country,” and thanked it for the agreement for the protection of Somalia.
He said that thanks to the defense agreement, Somalia’s navy will become stronger.
Somali Defense Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the defense agreement is a sign of the strong ties between the two countries.
“The agreement itself contained different parts, one part was economic, and the other part was of a military nature. Most of the work is going well and this ship is part of the military part, and other parts are planned to be implemented,” he said.
Stating that the agreement signed between Türkiye and Somalia is an indication of the strong ties between the two brotherly countries, Ambassador Aktaş said that Türkiye will continue its support with determination within the scope of protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Somalia.
“Somalia’s security is also Türkiye’s security. We have never considered Somalia’s stability separately from our own country’s stability,” he said.
Türkiye and Somalia also signed a deal on offshore oil and natural gas cooperation last month, further strengthening ties after agreeing on a defense deal.
A close ally of the Horn of Africa nation, Türkiye has invested in its education, infrastructure and health, and given it extensive humanitarian aid.
Daily Sabah.