ALBAWABA- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud held high-level talks in Turkey on Tuesday, amid mounting regional tensions following Israel’s formal recognition of Somaliland as an independent state.
The summit, described by Ankara as focused on security, cooperation, and regional stability, was widely seen as a coordinated response to Israel’s move, which Erdoğan has condemned as “illegal and unacceptable.”
Israel became the first UN member state to recognize Somaliland on December 26, a self-declared republic that broke away from Somalia in 1991 but remains internationally unrecognized.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu framed the decision as rooted in shared values and strategic interests, raising prospects of security and economic cooperation.
Somalia rejected the move as a violation of its sovereignty, triggering protests in Mogadishu and prompting warnings from the UN Security Council that the decision risks destabilizing the Horn of Africa.
Turkey, Somalia’s closest international ally since 2011, has invested heavily in infrastructure, humanitarian aid, and military training, including operating a major military and naval facility in Mogadishu.
Israel’s recognition of Somaliland is viewed by many as a direct challenge to Turkish influence in the region, potentially realigning Somaliland toward pro-Israel blocs and accelerating fragmentation pressures in Somalia.
The talks included a bilateral meeting followed by an expanded session at Istanbul’s Dolmabahçe Palace, attended by senior Turkish officials from the foreign affairs, defense, energy, intelligence, and defense industries portfolios.
