The agreement, signed between Somalia’s Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy and Türkiye’s leading institution OYAK, establishes a framework to regulate fishing activities in Somali waters and strengthen institutional capacity in the sector.
Abdinasir Hussein Farah, a maritime transport and management engineering expert, said the deal represents an important step toward harnessing Somalia’s marine wealth in a sustainable and organized manner.
He noted that beyond financial gains, the agreement has the potential to support institutional reform and strengthen governance in the fisheries sector.
“The agreement aims to increase revenues from marine resources and ensure these resources are managed in an orderly and sustainable way,” Farah said, adding that it is expected to create both direct and indirect employment opportunities in fishing, processing and related services.
Another expert, maritime logistics specialist Abdurrezzak Mahmud, said the deal could particularly benefit small-scale Somali fishers if implemented transparently and inclusively.
He said the agreement may enable local fishermen to access modern equipment, professional training and wider markets.
“Somali people generally see Türkiye as a reliable partner, and if the agreement is managed transparently, it is viewed as an important opportunity for development,” Mahmud said.
Key features of the agreement
Under the strategic cooperation agreement, a company named SOMTURK will manage licensing processes for fishing activities within Somalia’s Exclusive Economic Zone. Fishing permits in Somali territorial waters will be issued exclusively through SOMTURK, ensuring centralized regulation and full registration of activities.
Officials say the move will support sustainable use of Somalia’s rich marine resources while providing Türkiye’s fisheries sector regulated access to some of the world’s most abundant waters.
Somalia and Türkiye maintain strong economic, diplomatic and defense ties that deepened after then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited Mogadishu in 2011 — the first visit by a non-African leader to Somalia in over two decades.
Since then, Türkiye has implemented more than 150 development projects in Somalia, built its largest embassy in Africa in Mogadishu and established its biggest overseas military training base to support the Somali National Army.