Somalia

Türkiye’s deep-sea drilling vessel Çağrı Bey has reached Mogadishu, setting the stage for Somalia’s first offshore oil drilling campaign, officials from both countries said Friday. Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar described the mission as “historic,” saying it would “open a new chapter in Turkish energy history.” The work stems from a hydrocarbon agreement signed in 2024, which gave Türkiye’s state-owned energy company TPAO the right to explore three offshore blocks, each covering about 5,000 square…

Friday April 10, 2026 Hargeisa (AX) — North Western State of Somalia moved on Thursday to stamp out the cycle of clan fighting in Salal and Awdal, announcing a set of measures that orders armed militias to withdraw and warns that anyone who obstructs the peace effort will face legal action. The plan was unveiled by North Western State of Somalia’s vice president, who said the government was “deeply saddened” by the repeated flare-ups of inter-clan violence and remains determined to secure a final, durable settlement. He…

Jubaland, one of Somalia’s federal member states in the south, has become a key political player in national debates over elections, security, and the balance of power between Mogadishu and regional administrations. At the center of this influence is Jubaland’s president, Ahmed Mohamed Islam—known as Ahmed Madobe—and his government in Kismayo.In recent years, Jubaland’s leadership has shaped how Somalia’s federal system operates in practice, especially as the country moves toward election reforms and faces ongoing militant…

Somalia’s relationship with Türkiye is often praised as a rare success story: a partnership built on roads, hospitals, military training and the rhetoric of solidarity. Turkish-backed projects are frequently cited as evidence that foreign assistance can deliver visible results in a country long battered by conflict. Yet beneath the applause, a harder question is emerging in Somalia: not whether Türkiye has helped, but whether the arrangement is transparent, sustainable and truly aligned with Somalia’s long-term national…

Mucahithan AvciogluFriday April 10, 2026 A Turkish deep-sea drilling vessel has reached Somalia, setting in motion what Ankara is calling a “historic mission” and marking Türkiye’s first overseas deep-sea drilling operation, the energy and natural resources minister announced Thursday. “The Cagri Bey (ship) has arrived in Somalia for its historic mission,” Alparslan Bayraktar said on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal, saying the effort would usher in “a brand-new chapter in the energy history of both Türkiye and…

Friday April 10, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia and Italy on Thursday sealed an agreement to launch the QEPHS-SOM project, a new effort intended to bolster the country’s primary health services and broaden access to care. The deal was signed in Mogadishu by Somali Minister of Health Dr. Ali Haji Aden and Italy’s Ambassador to Somalia, Pier Mario Daccò Coppi, with the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) involved in the partnership. The signing ceremony was attended by AICS Head Fabio Minniti and agency official…

BAIDOA, Somalia — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has wrapped up a several-day visit to Baidoa, a trip aimed at solidifying his political base and steering a tense leadership transition after federal forces seized the capital of South West State. Mohamud’s visit came after the March 29 resignation of regional leader Abdiasis Laftagareen, who fled to Kenya following the takeover of the city by heavily armed Somali National Army (SNA) troops backed by allied clan militias. The power shift has set off a fierce scramble…

Thursday April 9, 2026 Türkiye’s deep-sea drillship Çağrı Bey is due to dock in Mogadishu on Friday, launching a nearly 10-month drilling campaign that will mark the country’s first deepwater exploration project beyond its own shores. The vessel set sail from southern Türkiye in mid-February and is expected to wrap up its 53-day voyage with a ceremony in the Somali capital, where Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar is scheduled to attend. Once in port, the ship will head to a drilling site roughly 372…

Thursday April 9, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia on Wednesday welcomed the ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran, describing it as a meaningful step toward lowering tensions and protecting regional and international stability. In a statement released in Mogadishu, the Federal Government said that, as a member of the United Nations Security Council, Somalia considers the ceasefire a timely and significant move toward de-escalation, confidence-building and the preservation of peace and security. The government…

By Ambassador Fathudin Ali OspiteWednesday April 8, 2026 Xiriirka Soomaaliya iyo Turkiga waxa uu ku taagan yahay wax ka badan hadal iyo heshiisyo lagu dhawaaqo; waxa uu ku dhisan yahay natiijo la arki karo. Waa iskaashi muddo lagu soo tijaabiyey, ku saleysan kalsooni, isla markaana si dhab ah u saameeyey nolosha dadka. Jamhuuriyadda Federaalka Soomaaliya iyo Jamhuuriyadda Turkiga waxay leeyihiin mid ka mid ah iskaashiyada laba geesoodka ah ee ugu adag uguna saamaynta badan ee maanta ka muuqda masraxa caalamiga ah. Xilli…