Somalia Rejects Former Speaker’s Northern Cyprus Message, Reigniting Debate Over Ankara’s Influence
MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has moved to distance the government from an X post by Abdulqadir Mohamed Nour, the former Speaker of Parliament, after he thanked Northern Cyprus’s parliamentary spokesperson for congratulating him on his election.
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The clarification followed a report by Axadle on Abdulqadir’s message, which prompted questions about whether it reflected Somalia’s official position and placed the Foreign Affairs Ministry under pressure to respond.
In the post, Abdulqadir referred to Ziya Öztürkler as “the Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic of Turkish Northern Cyprus” and expressed his appreciation for the congratulatory message. Cypriot media later reported that the post had been deleted from his X account.
The exchange carries diplomatic weight because Türkiye is the only country to recognize Northern Cyprus. The United Nations and the broader international community recognize the Republic of Cyprus, while UN Security Council Resolutions 541 (1983) and 550 (1984) rejected recognition of the separate administration in the island’s north.
Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the country’s position on Cyprus remains unchanged and reaffirmed its respect for the “independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity” of the Republic of Cyprus.
The Ministry characterized Abdulqadir’s message as a “personal statement” and emphasized that it did not represent Somalia’s foreign policy.
“That post was not an act of recognition of any entity or separate administration in northern Cyprus,” the statement said, adding that Somalia had made no decision to alter its longstanding position.
Abdulqadir and Türkiye
The episode has brought renewed attention to Abdulqadir Mohamed Nour’s longstanding connections to Türkiye and Ankara’s role in his political rise.
Abdulqadir completed his higher education in Türkiye, studying political science and international relations at Ankara University. He is also fluent in Turkish.
His diplomatic career included several years at Somalia’s embassy in Ankara, where he began as second secretary, advanced to first secretary and later served in senior embassy positions.
After returning to Somalia, he moved rapidly through several influential state institutions. His posts included positions at NISA, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Ports and Marine Transport.
His close association with Ankara, Turkish-language fluency and senior government roles have made Abdulqadir one of Somalia’s politicians most strongly linked to Türkiye. Critics of Ankara’s expanding role in Somalia regard him as a significant channel of Turkish influence within Somali politics.
His Northern Cyprus message has added fresh focus to that perception. By using the term “Republic of Turkish Northern Cyprus” — a designation recognized only by Türkiye — Abdulqadir prompted questions about whether his ties to Ankara extend beyond conventional political and diplomatic relations.
The incident has also revived wider concerns about the reach of Turkish influence in Somalia. Ankara’s engagement with the country began with extensive humanitarian assistance during the 2011 famine, but bilateral cooperation has since grown to include defense, military training, the economy, ports, infrastructure, health and other strategic sectors.
Abdulqadir was involved in important phases of that expanding partnership. While serving as Defense Minister, he participated on Somalia’s side in the defense and economic cooperation agreement signed by Somalia and Türkiye in Ankara in February 2024.
Against that backdrop, his Northern Cyprus post was viewed as more than a routine response to a congratulatory message. It reopened debate in Somalia over Abdulqadir’s close relationship with Türkiye and raised broader questions about the extent to which Ankara shapes Somali government policy and decisions.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry’s response ultimately drew a firm distinction between Abdulqadir Mohamed Nour’s “personal statement” and Somalia’s official position, which continues to uphold the independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus.
AXADLETM
