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Turkish Deputy Transport and Infrastructure Minister Durmus Unuvar said Türkiye and Somalia are working to deepen cooperation, particularly in maritime transport and shipping.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency in Mogadishu, Unuvar said he met several Somali officials during his visit, including Somali Minister of Ports and Maritime Transport Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur.
Unuvar said discussions focused in detail on maritime cooperation, noting that relations between the two countries entered a new phase after 2011, following then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Somalia.
He said Türkiye aims to share its maritime experience with Somalia, describing Somalia’s location as strategically important for international shipping.
Unuvar said Türkiye has 217 ports, including 192 with international status, and that five Turkish ports rank among the world’s top 100. He added that Türkiye ranks 10th globally in terms of shipping fleet capacity.
Emphasizing that maritime dominance is a key component of national sovereignty, Unuvar said trained human resources are vital in this field.
He noted that contact points will be designated between the two ministries and that concrete, Somalia-oriented projects will be developed.
Unuvar also said Türkiye supports strengthening Somalia’s membership and capacity within international maritime platforms, sharing its own institutional experience.
Cooperation between Türkiye and Somalia has expanded since 2011 across security, military training, economy, health, education and infrastructure.
In the maritime sector, Mogadishu Port, Somalia’s largest port and selected as East Africa’s best port in 2025, is operated by Turkish firm Albayrak Holding.
Türkiye also supports Somalia through the TURKSOM Military Training Base, maritime security cooperation, energy exploration efforts and development assistance.
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