Turkey’s Hidden Agenda in the Horn of Africa

The contradictory role of Turkey in the Horn of Africa. While Turkey is a NATO member and publicly claims loyalty to the West, its actions on the ground tell a very different story.

1. 1. Pretend Ally, Real Destabilizer

• Turkey maintains close ties with Russia and China, even purchasing Russian S-400 missiles against NATO policy.
• Despite speaking of partnership with the West, Ankara’s true agenda is to advance its own power at the expense of regional stability.

1. 1. Militarizing Somalia

• Turkey has built its largest overseas military base in Mogadishu.
• It is training and arming Somali forces, creating long-term dependency.
• Recently, Turkey pledged $1 billionto Somalia, mostly for military hardware, not for development.

1. 1. Undermining Somaliland

• Turkey ignores Somaliland’s stability and democracy.
• Instead, it supports groups hostile to Somaliland and against the quest of  international recognition.
• By arming Somalia, Turkey fuels conflict rather than peace.and the dangerous enemy of Republic of Somaliland

1. 1. By arming Somalia, Turkey is not building peace, it is fueling conflict. Ankara’s military support strengthens instability, empowers hostile factions, and threatens the hard-won stability of the Horn of Africa.
   2. For the Republic of Somaliland, Turkey has become a dangerous enemy, working to undermine our sovereignty and obstruct our path toward international recognition. While Somaliland continues to uphold peace, democracy, and stability, Turkey’s actions encourage militarization, dependency, and aggression.
   3. Somaliland calls on the international community to clearly see Turkey’s destructive role. True allies do not arm conflicts; true allies support peace, stability, and freedom.

1. 1. Our Message to NATO and the West

• Turkey cannot be both a NATO ally and a partner of Russia,Iran and China.
• Its actions contradict NATO’s principles of democracy, security, and stability.
• Somaliland is the only stable and democratic partner in the Horn of Africa, and the international community must recognize this reality.
  The Turkish government has a long record of oppressing nations and peoples who seek freedom and self-determination. The Kurdish people, who have been struggling for their basic rights and freedom for decades, have suffered immensely at the hands of Turkey. Reports indicate that more than 30,000 women and childrenhave been killed or displaced by Turkish military campaigns. This is not just an act of war, it is an attempt to dismantle a people’s identity, crush their aspirations, and deny their right to self-rule.

Today, Turkey is applying the same oppressive strategy in the Horn of Africa. By supporting Somalia militarily and financially, Ankara seeks to undermine the statehood of the Republic of Somaliland. Its policy is clear: suppress democracy and stability in Somaliland while propping up a militarized regime in Mogadishu that serves Turkey’s geopolitical interests.

Somaliland warns the international community: Turkey’s actions against the Kurds are being repeated here. Just as it denied freedom to millions of Kurds, it now seeks to deny recognition and sovereignty to the people of Somaliland.

We call upon NATO, the European Union, and all democratic nations to recognize this duplicity. Somaliland is a peaceful, democratic state , not a territory to be controlled by foreign powers.

This framing draws a moral parallel:

• What Turkey did to the Kurds , it wants to repeat with Somaliland.
• It shows Turkey as an oppressor of freedomglobally, not just regionally.

Conclusion

Turkey’s loyalty is a mask. Behind its promises of friendship, it destabilizes the Horn of Africa. Somaliland calls on NATO, the EU, and democratic allies to see beyond lip-service and support the real force for peace and stability in the Republic of Somaliland.