According to people familiar with the situation, Turkiye and Somalia have discussed setting up a location for missile and space rocket tests from the Horn of Africa nation.
The people, who wished to remain anonymous when discussing sensitive topics, claimed that Ankara’s ballistic-missile program necessitates long-range testing and that Somalia’s position on the eastern tip of mainland Africa makes it perfect for firing toward the Indian Ocean.
They claimed that because the nation is near the equator, it would be an ideal location for a space port. Experiments conducted close to the equator can also help space rockets fly farther and more efficiently.
Plans to launch a rocket have been in the works for a while, as Turkiye has long desired to participate in the space race that has historically been dominated by the world powers according to the people, Turkish officials are optimistic that Somalia will grant their request.
The defense ministry of Turkiye chose not to respond.When reached by phone on Tuesday, Hussein Sheikh-Ali, the national security advisor to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia, declined to comment. Abdi Ahmed Koshin, the head of the parliamentary subcommittee on defense, said he was not aware of any such deal with Turkiye.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated in 2022 that Turkiye has been working on extending the range of its Tayfun missiles, which are built domestically, from roughly 560 kilometers (350 miles). According to the people, a launch site in Somalia would eliminate the possibility of debris falling into neighboring countries and residential areas.
As Somalia attempts to recover from years of clan warfare Turkiye is forging closer ties with the country focusing on Humantarian activities. Also Turkiye has increased its power over the last ten years by working on infrastructure projects, collaborating on defense matters, and preparing to explore for hydrocarbons. It mediates disputes between the Breakaway region of Somaliland, and the Somali fedral government.
Gaining Ground and influence in Somalia
Since President Erdogan’s 2011 visit to the nation in the Horn of Africa, Turkiye has been gaining ground there. At the time, he committed to contributing money to restore access to security and other essential services like healthcare and education.
In 2015, Turkiye and Somalia signed an agreement to cooperate in the defense industry, which permits “joint research, development and production projects in the field of military equipment in the territories of the parties.” In July, the two nations decided to intensify their defense and economic cooperation over the following ten years. Hundreds of Turkish soldiers are training Somalian soldiers at Mogadishu, the site of Turkiye’s largest overseas military base, which opened its doors in 2017.
That is a component of Somalia’s plan to strengthen security following an al-Shabaab insurgency.Following an offer from the government of Somalia, Turkiye—which hopes to establish similar ties with other African nations—is anticipated to send an exploration ship off the coast of the country to look for oil and gas.
In terms of diplomacy, Ankara recently attempted to mediate a disagreement between Somalia and Ethiopia, a neighboring country, regarding an agreement Addis Ababa made to construct a port in Somaliland. The Breakaway region which regarded as belonging to Somalia.