Turkey sends deep-sea drilling ship to Somalia

Turkey has dispatched a deep-sea drilling ship to Somalia, elevating the scope of bilateral energy cooperation between the two countries. Somalia’s Minister of Ports announced the development during a farewell ceremony in Turkey, stating, “Today in Turkey, we bid farewell to the ship that will drill Somalia’s oil.” He also expressed gratitude to the Turkish government and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for Ankara’s “continued support.”

This follows a series of developments over the past two years. The hydrocarbon cooperation agreement between Turkey and Somalia, signed in March 2024, was a turning point in both countries’ strategic relations. Concluded in Istanbul by Turkey’s Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar and Somalia’s than Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Abdirizak Omar Mohamed, the accord established a comprehensive framework for the exploration and development of Somalia’s oil and gas resources. It covered both onshore and offshore hydrocarbon blocks and extended beyond upstream activities to include downstream operations such as refining, transportation, marketing, and commercial distribution.

The deal was structured as an intergovernmental agreement, executed directly between the two states rather than through private-sector intermediaries. Under its terms, Turkey secured 90 percent of the oil and gas output from designated blocks, while Somalia retained a 10 percent share. Although the production split drew criticism for heavily favoring Turkey, Somalia’s officials, including President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud, defended the arrangement, arguing that the country would benefit indirectly through foreign investment, technology transfer, job creation, and infrastructure development.

Implementation of the agreement advanced steadily in the months following its signing. In October 2024, Turkey deployed the Oruç Reis, its flagship seismic research vessel, to Mogadishu. The vessel carried out advanced three-dimensional seismic surveys across Somalia’s offshore blocks, mapping subsurface hydrocarbon formations and identifying potential drilling sites. This marked the first tangible step toward operationalizing the deal.

Further progress was made in April 2025, when the full text of the agreement was submitted to the Turkish parliament for ratification, making its detailed provisions public. That same month, a supplementary accord was signed, extending exploration rights to approximately 16,000 square kilometers of onshore territory. This expansion signaled Turkey’s intent to deepen its energy footprint in Somalia and broaden the scope of cooperation beyond offshore reserves.

Energy cooperation has unfolded in parallel with growing defense ties between Ankara and Mogadishu. Turkey has strengthened its naval presence in Somalia’s waters. By integrating energy exploration with maritime security and broader commercial ventures, Ankara has entrenched its role as a key external partner in Somalia’s development.

Over the last decade, particularly in its later years, Turkey has positioned itself as Somalia’s most prominent and reliable ally. Beyond diplomatic support, Ankara has expanded its influence through a combination of economic, political, and security initiatives. Alongside recent agreements in the hydrocarbon sector, Turkey has worked to deepen its strategic footprint in Somalia by embedding itself in key areas of state-building and development. It has leveraged numerous commercial deals with the federal government in Mogadishu, including major port management and infrastructure agreements, which have strengthened bilateral economic ties while increasing Turkey’s long-term presence in the country.

At the same time, Turkey has significantly entrenched its security presence in Somalia. A central pillar of this effort has been military cooperation. Through the TURKSOM military training base in Mogadishu, one of Turkey’s largest overseas military facilities, Ankara has trained large numbers of Somali National Army personnel. In addition, hundreds of Somali forces have received further training in Turkey itself. By combining defense cooperation with economic and a growing investment deals, Turkey has solidified its role as one of Mogadishu’s closest and most influential allies today.