SOUTH–SOUTH COOPERATION AND PEACEBUILDING: TURKEY’S INVOLVEMENT IN SOMALIA

This briefing examines Turkey's multifaceted involvement in Somalia, analyzing how its approach to South-South cooperation—characterized by direct aid delivery and public-private partnerships—has strengthened the Somali Federal Government (SFG) while introducing risks related to clan bias, lack of transparency, and the potential for fueling patronage networks.

• Turkey has implemented a distinct approach to aid in Somalia that aligns with South-South cooperation (SSC) principles by avoiding political conditions, eliminating middlemen to deliver aid directly to beneficiaries, and prioritizing "solidarity, brotherhood and mutual benefit".
• Turkish public-private partnerships at the Mogadishu airport and seaport have significantly increased the Somali Federal Government's (SFG) domestic revenue, with these two sites reportedly accounting for nearly 80% of that revenue.
• The focus on revenue generation through the Mogadishu ports may inadvertently undermine the peace process by favoring the president's Hawiye clan, potentially fueling "divisive patronage networks" and eroding the political settlement.
• Turkish private sector investment in Somalia grew from negligible levels in 2010 to $100 million in 2015, while exports rose from $3.5 million in 2009 to $72 million in 2015, primarily consisting of construction materials and foodstuffs.
• Turkey is actively supporting Somali security sector reform (SSR) through financial contributions, training of officers in Turkey, and the planned opening of a military camp in Mogadishu in early 2017 to train approximately 1,500 Somalis annually.
• Turkey's peacebuilding efforts are criticized for being biased toward the central government in Mogadishu and failing to bridge communal and geographical divides, which may exacerbate clan conflicts if security recruitment follows a Mogadishu-centric model.
• There are concerns regarding the transparency of Turkish engagement, including allegations from the Somali auditor general in December 2015 that Turkish firms were avoiding fiscal responsibilities and a general lack of joint evaluation and monitoring of projects.

APA

STEARNS, J., & SUCUOGLU, G. (2017). SOUTH–SOUTH COOPERATION AND PEACEBUILDING: TURKEY’S INVOLVEMENT IN SOMALIA. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Policy-Insights-43.pdf

Chicago

STEARNS, JASON, and GIZEM SUCUOGLU. SOUTH–SOUTH COOPERATION AND PEACEBUILDING: TURKEY’S INVOLVEMENT IN SOMALIA. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2017. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Policy-Insights-43.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=STEARNS |first1=JASON |last2=SUCUOGLU |first2=GIZEM |title=SOUTH–SOUTH COOPERATION AND PEACEBUILDING: TURKEY’S INVOLVEMENT IN SOMALIA |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=April 2017 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Policy-Insights-43.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stearns2017southsouth, author = {STEARNS, JASON and SUCUOGLU, GIZEM}, title = {{SOUTH–SOUTH COOPERATION AND PEACEBUILDING: TURKEY’S INVOLVEMENT IN SOMALIA}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2017}, month = apr, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Policy-Insights-43.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }