Here’s a breakdown of the two major deals Turkey signed with Somalia in 2024 and why they’re stirring both excitement and controversy:
Oil & Gas Agreement: Strategic Windfall for Turkey
Turkey secured exceptional rights in Somalia’s energy sector through a hydrocarbons agreement signed in March 2024:
- 90% Cost Recovery: Turkey can recover up to 90% of oil and gas output annually as “cost petroleum,” covering exploration and production costs.
- Minimal Fees: Turkish entities are exempt from paying signature, development, or production bonuses, and no surface or administrative fees are required.
- Export Freedom: Turkey has unrestricted rights to export its share of oil and gas at international market prices.
- Legal Leverage: Disputes are settled in Istanbul, not Mogadishu, under international arbitration rules.
- Security Clause: Turkey can deploy military forces to protect its operations, with costs counted as recoverable.
Critics argue this deal undermines Somalia’s sovereignty, calling it a “historic failure of governance”. Supporters say it’s a strategic lifeline for Somalia amid regional threats and economic instability.
Sadat’s Expanding Role in Africa:
Sadat, Turkey’s private military company, is increasingly active across Africa:
- Operations in Somalia: Sadat is reportedly being deployed to secure strategic zones and assist in counterterrorism operations against Al-Shabaab.
- Missile Testing Site: Turkey may establish a long-range missile testing facility in Somalia’s Middle Shabelle region.
- Mercenary Deployment: Sadat has sent Syrian-trained fighters to Niger, Burkina Faso, and possibly Somalia.
- Resource Protection: These forces often guard mines, oilfields, and infrastructure projects tied to Turkish interests.
Sadat is often compared to Russia’s Wagner Group, but with a religious and ideological mission to support Muslim nations and Turkish minorities.
Would you like me to summarize the political risks or explore how other countries like the UAE or Ethiopia are reacting to Turkey’s growing footprint in Somalia?