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Somalia, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has awarded Türkiye three of the country's 12 offshore hydrocarbon exploration blocks, saying the partnership reflects a relationship of concrete and sustained support, while nine remaining blocks have gone to Western companies, one of which has already returned its licenses after citing a lack of investment capacity.
Speaking to Mogadishu-based Dawan TV, Mohamud addressed a wide range of policy matters including constitutional reform, security operations against the militant group al-Shabaab, foreign relations, and the country's hydrocarbon exploration program, which he described as strategically vital to Somalia's economic future.
When asked about the decision to award exploration rights to Türkiye, Mohamud was blunt. "Who else do we have besides Türkiye, who else wants us, supports us?" he said, framing the bilateral relationship as one built on demonstrated commitment rather than diplomatic formality.
Mohamud said Somalia had opened 12 hydrocarbon blocks to investors. Of those, three went to Türkiye while the remaining nine were awarded to Western companies.
He noted that one firm that had taken seven blocks recently returned them, saying it lacked the financial capacity to invest.
The president said Türkiye could receive additional blocks if it wished, adding, "Tomorrow, if they want, we can give them more than three blocks."
Hydrocarbon exploration off the Somali coast, long interrupted by decades of conflict and state collapse, has drawn renewed international interest as the country works to stabilize and attract foreign capital.
Somalia's exclusive economic zone is estimated to hold significant untapped oil and gas reserves, though large-scale commercial extraction remains a longer-term prospect.
Mohamud said Somalia's external relationships are governed by the principle of mutual benefit, and that various partnerships, including those with energy companies and state actors, are assessed on that basis.
On relations with the United States, he described the overall relationship as positive, attributing certain political tensions to domestic dynamics rather than fundamental disagreements.
On the question of Israel, Mohamud said the country's current stance is grounded in both political and humanitarian considerations, and that establishing formal diplomatic ties is not on the agenda at this time.
The president acknowledged that Somalia is simultaneously managing state-building, security operations and economic development, describing these as parallel and interdependent processes.
Mohamud said the country's security forces, spanning land, air and naval units, are being restructured, but noted the effort is still in its early stages. He credited the international community with years of sustained support while acknowledging that building durable institutions takes time.
The fight against al-Shabaab, the al-Qaeda-linked insurgency that controls significant territory in southern and central Somalia, continues, with Mohamud describing security progress as a foundational pillar of state reconstruction.
On Somalia's 2012 provisional constitution, which has served as the country's governing document through successive transitional administrations, Mohamud described the text as a living document rather than a fixed one. He said it can be updated to meet the country's evolving needs, and that ultimate responsibility for the constitutional process rests with parliament.
He closed by arguing that many of Somalia's outstanding challenges, from governance gaps to economic vulnerabilities, would resolve themselves as state capacity is strengthened. "We want the world to come to us," he said, signaling an intent to position Somalia as an open destination for international investment.
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