Turkey is set to deploy navy support to Somali waters following an agreement between the two countries for Ankara to send an exploration vessel to prospect for oil and gas off the Somali coast.
President Tayyip Erdogan submitted a motion to the Turkish parliament on Friday, seeking authorization for the deployment of Turkish military forces to Somalia, including its territorial waters, as reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency.
This decision follows the Turkish Energy Ministry’s announcement that an exploration vessel will be deployed later this year to search for oil and gas under a hydrocarbon cooperation agreement between Turkey and Somalia.
Earlier this year, Turkey and Somalia signed a defence and economic cooperation agreement during the Somali Defence Minister’s visit to Ankara.
In recent years, Turkey has become a close ally of the Somali government, building schools, hospitals, and infrastructure, as well as providing scholarships for Somalis to study in Turkey.
