Somali president to visit Turkey following Israeli recognition of Somaliland

Somalia’s president is set to visit close ally Turkey tomorrow following Israel’s recognition of the breakaway territory of Somaliland, Turkey’s presidency says.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud will hold talks “on the current situation in Somalia in the fight against terrorism, measures taken by the federal Somali government towards national unity and regional developments,” Burhanettin Duran, head of the Turkish presidency’s communications directorate, says on X.

Turkey on Friday denounced Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, a self-proclaimed republic, calling it “overt interference in Somalia’s domestic affairs.”

Ankara, a close ally of Somalia, provides military and economic assistance to the country that has been devastated by civil war since the early 1990s. Turkey is helping to rebuild its army and infrastructure while ensuring its presence in East Africa, including at sea.

Somaliland declared independence in 1991, as Somalia was plunged into chaos following the fall of dictator Siad Barre.

The recognition is the latest move by Israel, which has angered Turkey, with relations souring between the two countries in recent years.

Ankara has strongly condemned Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and Israel has opposed Turkey’s participation in a future stabilization force in the territory.