Turkey has gained oil interests, strategic access to the Horn of Africa, defence partnerships and goodwill from more than $1 billion in aid to Somalia, yet Ankara remains cautious about Somali travellers and continues to exclude the country from its e-Visa system.
Turkey still keeps Somalia out of its e-Visa system despite over $1 billion in aid, oil deals and strategic access to the Horn of Africa
- Turkey has invested over $1 billion in aid and developed key economic and security partnerships with Somalia, including control of Mogadishu’s airport and port.
- Despite its strong ties with Somalia, Turkey still excludes Somali citizens from its online e-Visa system, requiring them to apply through diplomatic missions.
- Ankara has deepened cooperation in the energy sector, deploying a drilling vessel for oil exploration off the Somali coast and signing agreements in oil and gas.
- Somalia remains geopolitically important but faces security, infrastructure, and migration challenges, which affect its citizens’ mobility abroad including to Turkey.
Turkey launched its Electronic Visa Application System on April 17, 2013, but more than a decade and several eligibility updates later, Somalia, one of Ankara’s closest partners in the Horn of Africa, remains excluded.
The platform covers several African countries, including Algeria, Cabo Verde, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, Mauritius, Namibia, Senegal and <a href="https://absafricatv.com/south-africa-requires-health-forms-for-travellers-from-ebola/" title="South Africa requires health forms for travellers from Ebola”>South Africa.
Somali passport holders, however, must apply through Turkish diplomatic missions or authorised visa centres.
Turkey requires holders of both ordinary and official Somali passports to obtain visas before travelling.
Consequently, Somali applicants face a more demanding process than citizens of African countries covered by Turkey’s online system, including some with far weaker ties to Ankara.
Turkey has deepened its involvement in Somalia since President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited the country during the 2011 famine.
According to Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ankara has since provided more than $1 billion in humanitarian and technical development assistance.
The support has covered healthcare, education, infrastructure, municipal services and institutional development.
Turkish commercial investment in Somalia has reached about $100 million, while Turkish companies operate Mogadishu’s international airport and seaport, two of the country’s most important transport and commercial facilities.
Meanwhile, bilateral trade rose from $187.3 million in 2018 to $250.85 million in 2019, an increase of nearly 34 per cent.
These figures show the scale of Turkey’s economic involvement in Somalia, even as Somali citizens remain outside its online visa system.
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rkey has invested over $1 billion in aid and developed key economic and security partnerships with Somalia, including control of Mogadishu’s airport and port.Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye
Beyond trade and development assistance, Somalia occupies a central place in Turkey’s security and diplomatic strategy in the Horn of Africa, particularly as regional competition intensifies following Israel’s recognition of Somaliland.
Ankara operates Camp TURKSOM in Mogadishu, its largest overseas military training facility, where Somali officers and soldiers are trained for operations against al Shabaab.
Furthermore, the two governments signed a 10 year defence and economic cooperation agreement in February 2024.
Under the deal, Turkey agreed to help rebuild, train and equip Somalia’s navy. Ankara also pledged to help protect the country’s territorial waters from piracy, terrorism, illegal fishing and other threats.
Somalia’s position along the Indian Ocean gives Turkey access to the Gulf of Aden and major shipping routes linking the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.
Turkey has also used its ties with Mogadishu to strengthen its diplomatic influence.
Ankara mediated talks between Somalia and Ethiopia after Addis Ababa’s agreement with Somaliland triggered a regional dispute.
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More recently, Turkey has expanded its presence in Somalia’s energy sector.
Erdoğan met Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Istanbul on April 16, 2026, to discuss trade, security, energy and regional affairs.
Turkey also deployed the Çağrı Bey drilling vessel to explore for oil off the Somali coast.
The mission marked Ankara’s first deep sea drilling operation outside its territory.
Previously, the two countries signed agreements covering the exploration, development, production and transportation of oil and natural gas from Somali offshore and onshore blocks.
Although Somalia remains one of the world’s most fragile economies, its strategic location and natural reitical pressure
Beyond Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, the country is also caught up in the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and fraud investigations, which have affected Minnesota’s large Somali community and complicated wider US engagement with Mogadishu.
Nevertheless, it benefits from major remittance flows, a large diaspora, a strong telecommunications and mobile money sector, livestock exports, an extensive coastline and potential oil, gas and fisheries re
However, conflict, climate shocks and weak infrastructure have limited its ability to turn these assets into broad based prosperity, while wider migration concerns continue to shape the treatment of Somali passport holders abroad.
