Turkey’s Expanding Influence in Somalia Draws Sharp Criticism
AXADLE, Somalia — Puntland State’s State Minister of Information, Mohamud Aided Dirir, has sharply criticized Turkey’s growing footprint in Somalia, alleging the engagement is driven by self-interest, corruption and exploitation rather than the country’s long-term stability, security or good governance.
- Advertisement -
Dirir said Ankara’s presence undermines Somalia’s sovereignty and misappropriates local resources, arguing that foreign assistance should reinforce Somali institutions and deliver measurable benefits to citizens. He did not provide specific examples of misappropriation or corruption, but stressed that Puntland State expects international partners to act transparently and in the interest of Somali people.
“Their involvement has failed to bring tangible benefits to the Somali people,” Dirir said, adding that support to the country should be sustainable and aimed at strengthening governance, not external agendas.
Turkey has established the largest military base in Africa in Somalia and operates what is believed to be the world’s largest embassy building in Mogadishu. Ankara also trains Somali elite military and police units and holds major maritime security, oil and trade agreements with the Somali government — commitments that underscore the breadth of its influence in the Horn of Africa nation.
The remarks land amid renewed scrutiny of foreign influence in Somalia, where several countries have invested heavily in infrastructure, security cooperation and humanitarian programs since the state’s reconstruction effort accelerated in recent years. While foreign partnerships have often been critical to shoring up government capacity and delivering services, tensions persist when local leaders perceive that donor priorities outweigh Somali needs or weaken domestic control over resources.
Puntland State, a semi-autonomous region in northeastern Somalia, has long advocated for clear, accountable frameworks governing foreign assistance and security cooperation. Dirir’s comments reflect broader concerns among regional leaders that deals made at the federal level should be transparent, consultative and aligned with the country’s constitutional balance of power.
Turkey’s deepening role has been framed by supporters as a strategic partnership delivering vital training, equipment and investment. Critics, including Dirir, counter that the scale and opacity of agreements risk entrenching dependency and eroding sovereignty if not accompanied by rigorous oversight and local ownership.
With Somalia still reliant on international support for stabilization and development, the debate over Turkey’s engagement highlights the stakes for a government working to consolidate authority, reform security forces and expand basic services. How external partners engage — and the degree to which Somalis shape priorities and monitor outcomes — will remain a central fault line as the country navigates competing interests and rebuilds its institutions.
For Puntland State, Dirir signaled, the bottom line is clear: partnerships must be transparent, accountable and demonstrably beneficial to Somali citizens.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
