Somalia calls for direct sea route with Türkiye as trade outgrows current logistics, minister says
ISTANBUL — Somalia’s ports minister said Thursday that establishing direct maritime shipping routes with Türkiye has become a strategic necessity as trade between the two countries expands beyond the limits of existing logistics.
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“The current level of trade between Somalia and Türkiye has moved beyond the present logistics structure,” Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur, minister of Ports and Maritime Transport, told Anadolu on the sidelines of the 2nd Transport Ministers Conference of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul. He said direct sea lines would reduce costs, shorten delivery times and increase overall trade volume.
Nur framed the call for a direct route within a broader push to harden supply chains at a time of persistent global fragility. The OIC gathering brought together transport ministers to discuss connectivity and infrastructure cooperation — a conversation he said was fitting for Istanbul, a city that has long linked continents, civilizations and trade routes.
“Ports and logistics networks have become central elements of economic security,” the minister said, adding that Somalia’s approach to transport is rooted in solidarity, shared prosperity and strategic resilience.
Highlighting Somalia’s geostrategic role, Nur described the country as a natural bridge between Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, South Asia and the wider Indian Ocean basin. “The security of global trade is directly linked to the security of Somalia’s coasts,” he said, noting that stability in the Horn of Africa underpins security in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean regions.
Somalia’s ports, he added, serve not only the domestic economy but also landlocked countries in East Africa. Expanding capacity is therefore critical to Somalia’s development, regional economic integration and a more resilient flow of goods.
Nur said feasibility studies for the New Mogadishu Port Project have been completed and the initiative has entered the tender phase. Positioned as a flagship investment intended to transform regional logistics capacity, the project is open to international participation. The minister invited investors and private sector partners to help build out Somalia’s port infrastructure as part of a long-term modernization plan.
Direct maritime connectivity with Türkiye, he argued, would complement that agenda by removing chokepoints in cargo handling and streamlining end-to-end delivery between key markets. Such links, he said, would not only lift bilateral commerce but also enhance Türkiye’s access to landlocked economies across East Africa via Somalia’s gateways. He noted that technical and diplomatic work to enable the route is ongoing.
Nur placed the effort within the trajectory of a relationship that has deepened over the past decade and a half. Ties with Türkiye, he said, have evolved from humanitarian cooperation into a strategic partnership spanning defense, energy, education, infrastructure, fisheries, space and maritime sectors. He called President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s 2011 visit to Mogadishu a historic turning point and a clear expression of solidarity during a difficult period for Somalia.
Somalia aims to be a complementary, rather than competing, player in global trade, Nur said, outlining a maritime and transport vision focused on enhanced connectivity, strengthened resilience and shared regional prosperity. A direct sea corridor to Türkiye — anchored by expanded port capacity at home — is central to that strategy, he said, positioning Somalia as a reliable link between the Indian Ocean and markets to its north.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
