Turkeys

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday rejected Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia as an independent state, warning that the move risks escalating tensions in an already volatile Horn of Africa. “The Horn of Africa should not be the battlefield of foreign forces,” Erdogan said during a joint news conference with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in Addis Ababa. “We believe that countries of the region should address their problems by themselves.” North Western State…

Erdogan tells Ethiopia it would gain nothing from recognizing North Western State of Somalia ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed during an official visit to Addis Ababa that Ethiopia would gain no benefit from recognizing North Western State of Somalia, underscoring Ankara’s support for Somalia’s territorial integrity. Erdogan said he conveyed the message directly to Abiy, arguing that any formal move to recognize the self-declared republic would not serve…

Erdogan heads to UAE, Ethiopia as Turkey presses Gaza cease-fire and backs Somalia’s unity Turkey sharpens Gulf trade push while asserting influence in the Horn of Africa amid tensions over North Western State of Somalia recognition Monday, Feb. 16, 2026 MOGADISHU — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to visit the United Arab Emirates on Monday before traveling to Ethiopia on Tuesday, with Gaza and Somalia’s territorial integrity expected to anchor a two-stop tour aimed at entwining economic outreach with…

Erdogan replaces justice, interior ministers in surprise Cabinet reshuffle ANKARA, Turkey — President Recep Tayyip Erdogan carried out a surprise mini Cabinet reshuffle Wednesday, replacing Turkey’s justice and interior ministers as the country debates constitutional reforms and pursues a peace initiative with the militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, aimed at ending a decades-long conflict. The Official Gazette announced the changes late Wednesday, elevating two figures from the judiciary and provincial administration…

Turkey’s Erdogan denounces Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia, vows support for Somalia’s unity ISTANBUL — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday sharply rejected Israel’s decision to formally recognize North Western State of Somalia, calling the move illegal, unacceptable and a threat to stability in the Horn of Africa. Speaking at a joint news conference in Istanbul alongside Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Erdogan said the Israeli action risks undercutting security gains achieved in…

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. Dirir said Ankara’s presence undermines Somalia’s sovereignty and misappropriates local resources, arguing that foreign assistance should reinforce Somali…

Somalia confirms delay in $30 million Turkish budget support as budget vote looms MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s government has confirmed a delay in receiving $30 million in annual budget support from Turkey, a setback arriving as lawmakers are yet to approve a federal spending plan valued at more than $1 billion. Finance Minister Bihi Iman Egeh told local media on Wednesday that Ankara’s transfer — a recurring injection into Somalia’s treasury in recent years — has not arrived on its usual schedule. “Turkey has been…

Analysis: Turkish Intelligence Flags ‘Unprecedented Fragility’ in Somalia as Ankara’s Stakes Deepen ANKARA, Turkey — A new intelligence academy report in Turkey warns that Somalia faces “unprecedented fragility,” identifying a confluence of security, political and institutional risks that could shape the trajectory of the country’s stability — and the future of Ankara’s most ambitious partnership in Africa. The assessment, titled “A Multidimensional Partnership Model,” acknowledges gains in the Turkey–Somalia relationship…

Turkey’s Residency Freeze Meets Somali Realities: What a Quiet Diplomatic Meeting Reveals In Ankara this week, a low-key meeting between Somali Ambassador Fathudiin Ali Mohamed Ospite and Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya put a human face on a policy that has reshaped daily life for foreigners across Turkey: the suspension of most new residency permits. The conversation was practical—how to help Somali citizens renew and obtain legal stay when the rules have tightened—but the implications are wider. As countries from…

NAIROBI, Kenya - Turkey's plunge into oil exploration off the Somali coast has stirred profound schisms in the country. An archaic map dusted off with controversial revisions now intensifies jitters in this fragile region, where internal strife and external pressures persistently choreograph a clunky ballet of development and turmoil. Voicing his concerns, Abdi Farah Juxa, Northeastern State's top honcho for Interior Affairs, carpeted the use of this map during the grand debut of a Turkish research vessel. "After three…