Ankara / Anadolu

The Turkish parliament on Tuesday approved a presidential memorandum extending the mission of Turkish Armed Forces elements in Somalia for an additional two years, starting July 27, 2026, to support activities aimed at ensuring Somalia's security against terrorism and other threats.

The memorandum, signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and submitted to the parliament speaker, stated that Somalia's security and stability are of importance for the entire region.

The memorandum emphasized that Turkey has established multidimensional cooperation with the Somali government since 2011 in political, social, economic, and security fields, serving the interests of both countries' peoples.

It added that Turkey's standing with the Somali people and the trust built over the years have contributed to the uninterrupted continuation of cooperation between the two countries.

It noted that training, assistance, and advisory activities aimed at enhancing security and stability in Somalia continue within the framework of military, technical, and scientific cooperation agreements, military training, defense industry cooperation, and military financial cooperation signed between the two countries.

The memorandum also stated that Turkey, in cooperation with the international community, has been supporting the restructuring of Somali defense and security forces and enhancing their counterterrorism capabilities for more than ten years.

It added that the Somali federal government requested Turkey, within the framework of the goals agreed under the Framework Agreement for Defense and Economic Cooperation, to provide support and assistance, including supporting the armed forces in combating terrorism, maritime piracy, illegal fishing, and all forms of smuggling and other threats.

Since February 25, 2009, Turkish naval forces have been participating in the international Combined Task Force to combat piracy in Somalia and neighboring regions.

The Combined Maritime Forces, a multinational coalition established in February 2002, aim to enhance security by combating piracy and terrorism in the waters of the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, including the Red Sea, Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, and Indian Ocean.