Puntland’s State Minister for Information, Mohamud Aided Dirir, delivered stinging criticism of Turkey’s role in Somalia, asserting that its presence has failed to contribute significantly to long-term stability, security, or governance improvements. Dirir characterized Turkey’s engagement as motivated by self-interest, corruption, and exploitation, claiming that it compromises Somalia’s sovereignty and diverts local resources. “Their activities have not yielded concrete advantages for the Somali population”, Dirir stated, expressing the view that international support should prioritize sustainable development and institutional reinforcement over foreign agendas. Somalia hosts Turkey’s largest military base in Africa and what is reportedly the world’s biggest Turkish embassy complex. The Turkish capital also mentors elite Somali military and police units and maintains substantial maritime security, oil, and commerce pacts with Mogadishu, demonstrating profound strategic engagement in the nation.
These comments emerge as foreign influence in Somalia faces heightened scrutiny, with multiple nations having made substantial investments in infrastructure, security collaboration, and aid initiatives.
Although Dirir offered no concrete instances of corruption or resource diversion, he stressed that Puntland demands international partners operate with transparency and prioritize Somali citizens’ interests.
