Somalia’s Parliamentary Speaker Urges Stronger Defences Against Misinformation Threatening Strategic Partnership with Türkiye

MOGADISHU, Somalia — In a significant address that underscores the growing importance of the bilateral relationship between Somalia and Türkiye, Somalia’s Parliamentary Speaker, Abdulqadir Mohamed Nur Jama, has issued a robust call for enhanced efforts to protect the strategic partnership between the two nations from the corrosive effects of misinformation and other threats to their cooperation. Speaking at the opening of a high-level discussion forum dedicated to examining the multifaceted nature of Somali-Turkish relations, the Speaker delivered a comprehensive assessment of the partnership’s trajectory, its current standing, and the contemporary challenges that threaten to undermine the trust and mutual understanding that have been painstakingly cultivated over more than a decade of engagement. The forum, which brought together policymakers, diplomats, analysts, and civil society representatives, provided a platform for a candid examination of the relationship’s evolution from its modest beginnings in humanitarian assistance to its current status as a comprehensive strategic alliance spanning multiple critical sectors.

Jama’s remarks came at a pivotal moment in the bilateral relationship, reflecting both the remarkable achievements of the partnership and the growing anxiety among Somali officials about efforts to sabotage it through the deliberate spread of false information. The Speaker’s address highlighted the extraordinary journey of the relationship, noting that what began as humanitarian assistance in the wake of crisis has blossomed into a dynamic and multifaceted partnership encompassing development, trade, diplomacy, economic cooperation, and increasingly critical defence and security collaboration. This evolution, he stressed, did not occur by accident but was the result of deliberate investment, sustained commitment, and a shared vision between the two peoples and their governments. However, Jama was equally emphatic about the vulnerabilities inherent in such a rapidly expanding relationship, particularly in an era where information warfare and digital propaganda have become potent tools for those seeking to disrupt international cooperation and undermine mutual trust between allied nations.

The parliamentary speaker’s warning about misinformation as a major threat to the bilateral relationship carries particular weight given the sophisticated disinformation campaigns that have been observed in the region in recent years. He described misleading information targeting the interests of both Somalia and Türkiye as a fundamental challenge to the partnership’s integrity, emphasising that such tactics could undermine the deep-rooted trust that has been built upon shared humanitarian and Islamic values, as well as the long-standing historical ties between the Somali and Turkish peoples. These ties, Jama suggested, predate the modern era and are grounded in centuries of cultural exchange, trade, and religious affinity that form an unshakeable foundation for contemporary cooperation. Yet, he cautioned, even the strongest foundations can be eroded if they are not actively maintained and protected against deliberate attempts to sow division and misunderstanding.

In a particularly noteworthy portion of his address, the Speaker turned his attention to the transformative impact of social media on public discourse and its implications for diplomatic relations between nations. Jama observed that online platforms now wield greater influence than traditional media in shaping public perception and opinion, particularly among younger demographics who represent the future of Somali-Turkish relations. This shift in the information landscape, he argued, presents both opportunities and significant challenges for both countries as they seek to strengthen public understanding of their expanding partnership. The Speaker called for social media to be accorded greater priority in the media strategies of both nations, recognising that the battle for hearts and minds is increasingly being fought on digital terrain where speed, engagement, and authenticity often trump traditional journalistic standards of accuracy and verification.

The forum itself represents a broader effort by Somali authorities to engage with the intellectual and policy dimensions of the partnership, moving beyond official statements and government-to-government interactions to build a deeper reservoir of public understanding and support. Throughout his address, Jama expressed confidence that the two governments and their “brotherly” peoples could safeguard their shared interests and resist efforts by anyone seeking to undermine their cooperation. This optimism, however, was tempered by a clear-eyed recognition of the challenges ahead, particularly in countering narratives that seek to portray the partnership in a negative light. The Speaker’s call for vigilance and proactive engagement with digital media spaces signals a new phase in the bilateral relationship, one in which public diplomacy and information integrity are recognised as essential components of strategic cooperation alongside more traditional pillars of diplomacy, economy, and defence.

A Partnership Forged Through Humanitarian Crisis and Transformed by Shared Ambition

The historical trajectory of Somali-Turkish relations that formed the backdrop to the Speaker’s remarks is a remarkable story of diplomatic evolution that has transformed two nations once separated by geography and circumstance into close strategic partners. The modern phase of this relationship can be traced to 2011, when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a historic visit to Mogadishu at the height of a devastating famine that had brought Somalia to the brink of catastrophe. This visit, which occurred at a time when most foreign dignitaries were avoiding the war-torn capital due to security concerns and the pervasive threat of militant attacks, signalled Turkey’s willingness to engage with Somalia when few others were prepared to do so. Erdogan’s dramatic arrival in Mogadishu, accompanied by his family and senior officials, captured the imagination of the Somali people and established a foundation of trust and goodwill that has persisted to this day.

The initial humanitarian assistance provided by Turkey during the famine was substantial, but perhaps more significant was the approach taken to its delivery. Rather than operating solely through international intermediaries, Turkish aid agencies and officials worked directly with Somali communities, building relationships, understanding local needs, and demonstrating a commitment that went beyond the transactional nature of much international assistance. This people-centred approach resonated deeply with Somalis who had grown weary of distant international bureaucracies and fleeting media attention. Turkey’s willingness to reopen its embassy in Mogadishu in 2011, at a time when most nations had shuttered their diplomatic missions and evacuated their staff, represented a tangible commitment to Somalia’s future that distinguished Turkey from other potential partners. The embassy, upgraded to become one of Turkey’s largest diplomatic missions in Africa, became a symbol of Ankara’s long-term commitment to Somalia’s stability and prosperity.

From these humanitarian roots, the relationship began to expand rapidly into development and economic cooperation. Turkish institutions, including state agencies, private companies, and non-governmental organisations, launched a broad array of projects across Somalia covering health care, education, infrastructure, transportation, and municipal services. Turkish Airlines established regular flights between Istanbul and Mogadishu, breaking the isolation that had long hindered Somalia’s reconnection with the global economy and providing an essential link for business, diplomacy, and family connections. Turkish businesspeople established hotels, hospitals, schools, and commercial enterprises in Mogadishu and other cities, contributing to the revival of economic activity and demonstrating confidence in Somalia’s recovery. The construction of major infrastructure projects, including roads, airports, and public buildings, transformed the urban landscape of Mogadishu and other centres, while Turkish expertise in healthcare delivery improved access to medical services for ordinary Somalis through the operation of hospitals and training programmes for local medical personnel.

The relationship took another significant step forward with the formalisation of defence and security cooperation, reflecting both countries’ recognition of the paramount importance of stability for development and prosperity. In February 2024, Somalia and Türkiye signed a landmark defence and economic cooperation framework agreement that included provisions for Turkish naval support to protect Somalia’s extensive coastline and maritime resources. This agreement came at a critical juncture, as Somalia sought to strengthen its capacity to safeguard its territorial waters against illegal fishing, resource exploitation, and maritime security threats, and to support the country’s efforts to build a credible national security apparatus capable of eventually assuming full responsibility for security from international peacekeeping forces. The defence pact, which has been subject to both praise and criticism in the region, represents a deepening of the partnership into the strategically sensitive realm of security cooperation, elevating the bilateral relationship to a level that few other nations have achieved with Somalia.

This expanding partnership has not occurred in a vacuum, and Jama’s warnings about misinformation must be understood in the context of the strategic competition and geopolitical manoeuvring that characterises the Horn of Africa. The region has become a focus of intense international attention, with various powers seeking to establish or strengthen their influence through economic agreements, security partnerships, and diplomatic engagement. Within this competitive environment, the Somali-Turkish partnership stands out as one of the most comprehensive and deeply institutionalised bilateral relationships in the region, a fact that inevitably attracts attention, scrutiny, and in some cases, active attempts to disrupt or undermine it. Disinformation campaigns targeting the partnership have been observed across various media platforms, including attempts to exaggerate the costs of Turkish engagement, to misinterpret the terms of cooperation agreements, to distort the nature of defence arrangements, and to sow suspicions about Turkish intentions in the region. These narratives, Jama suggested, are designed not merely to inform but to mobilise opposition and weaken public support for the partnership in both countries.

Navigating the Information Battlefield in an Era of Hyper-Connected Digital Discourse

The parliamentary speaker’s emphasis on the growing influence of social media represents an acute awareness of the fundamentally transformed information environment in which contemporary diplomacy operates. In his remarks, Jama noted that online platforms now have a greater impact than traditional media in many areas, a development that carries profound implications for how governments communicate with their own populations and with international audiences. Social media platforms, including X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and a variety of messaging applications, have become the primary sources of news and information for significant portions of the population in both Somalia and Türkiye, particularly among younger demographics who are simultaneously the most active users of digital platforms and the demographic most likely to shape future attitudes towards the bilateral relationship. The speed at which information circulates on these platforms, combined with the emotional resonance of visual content and the algorithmic amplification of engaging posts, creates an environment in which misleading narratives can spread rapidly and gain credibility before fact-checkers, official spokespeople, or journalists have an opportunity to respond.

This digital information landscape presents particular challenges for a partnership like that between Somalia and Türkiye, which relies heavily on public understanding and support in both countries. The relationship has been built not only on government-to-government agreements but on a foundation of genuine popular goodwill, manifested in the positive attitudes that many Somalis hold towards Türkiye and its people, and the growing interest among Turks in Africa and Somalia’s development. Preserving and strengthening this popular support requires proactive communication strategies capable of engaging effectively with digital audiences, countering misleading narratives in real time, and telling compelling stories about the partnership’s achievements in ways that resonate with ordinary people. Jama’s call for social media to be given greater priority in the media strategies of both countries reflects an understanding that traditional forms of diplomatic communication, such as official statements, press conferences, and state media coverage, are no longer sufficient to maintain public support in an era when individuals increasingly curate their own information environments through social media platforms.

The threat posed by misinformation to international partnerships is not unique to the Somali-Turkish relationship, but there are aspects of this particular partnership that make it especially vulnerable to disinformation campaigns. The relationship involves significant Turkish investment in Somalia, including in high-profile projects such as the management of Mogadishu’s port and airport facilities, which attract attention and can be misrepresented as exploitative arrangements by those seeking to undermine confidence in the partnership. The defence and security dimension of the relationship is inherently sensitive, involving questions of national sovereignty, military capabilities, and regional security dynamics that can be framed in alarmist or exaggerated terms. The religious dimension of the relationship, rooted in shared Islamic values and Turkey’s broader engagement with Muslim communities in Africa and beyond, can be distorted to suggest sectarian agendas or external interference in religious affairs. And the broader geopolitical context, including competition among external powers for influence in the Horn of Africa, creates incentives for third parties to attempt to disrupt a partnership that they may perceive as contrary to their own interests.

Jama’s remarks on this topic can be seen as part of a broader recognition within both Somali and Turkish policy circles of the need to develop more sophisticated approaches to strategic communications in support of the bilateral relationship. This includes not only reactive counter-messaging to address specific falsehoods as they emerge but also proactive efforts to build a deeper reservoir of public understanding and support that can withstand the impact of misleading narratives. Educational initiatives, cultural exchange programmes, media cooperation between the two countries, and the cultivation of a network of credible voices who can speak positively about the partnership from positions of knowledge and authority are all potential components of such a strategy. The two countries have already engaged in various forms of educational cooperation, including the provision of scholarships for Somali students to study at Turkish universities, which creates a cadre of Somalis with first-hand experience of Türkiye and a personal stake in the success of the bilateral relationship. Expanding such people-to-people connections, and ensuring that the stories of those who have benefited from the partnership reach wider audiences through both traditional and social media, could help create a more resilient foundation of public support.

Strategic Dimensions of a Deepening Alliance

The discussion forum at which Jama delivered his remarks provided an opportunity for a comprehensive examination of the strategic dimensions of the Somali-Turkish partnership, reflecting the maturity of a relationship that has evolved beyond simple donor-recipient dynamics into something more closely resembling a genuine alliance of mutual interest. The defence and security dimension of the partnership, which has expanded considerably in recent years, is particularly significant for Somalia, which continues to face serious security challenges including the persistent threat posed by the Al-Shabaab militant group and related extremist movements. Turkey has provided training, equipment, and technical assistance to Somali security forces, including the development of specialised counter-terrorism units, while also considering more substantive naval cooperation to help Somalia secure its extensive coastline and maritime exclusive economic zone, one of the largest in Africa. These security cooperation efforts are designed not to establish a permanent Turkish military presence in Somalia but rather to build Somali capacity so that the country can eventually assume full responsibility for its own security, a goal that aligns with international efforts to transfer security responsibilities to Somali forces as part of a planned drawdown of African Union peacekeeping troops.

The economic dimension of the partnership has similarly deepened, with Türkiye emerging as one of Somalia’s most significant economic partners. Turkish companies are involved in the management of key infrastructure assets, including Mogadishu’s international airport and seaport, which serve as crucial nodes for the country’s integration into regional and global trade networks. Energy exploration, petroleum imports, construction, telecommunications, agriculture, fisheries, and financial services all present opportunities for expanded Turkish engagement, and the two countries have been working to strengthen the institutional frameworks for economic cooperation to facilitate greater trade and investment flows. The economic relationship is viewed by many observers as a model of the kind of mutually beneficial partnership that African nations are seeking, one that combines external resources and expertise with local ownership and leadership, and that generates tangible benefits for ordinary people through employment, access to services, and infrastructure development.

The diplomatic dimension of the relationship has also flourished, with Somalia and Türkiye maintaining close coordination on regional and international issues and supporting each other in multilateral forums. Türkiye’s membership in NATO and its status as a significant Middle Eastern and Muslim-majority nation give it a distinctive role in international affairs, and its advocacy for Somalia’s interests on the international stage is valued in Mogadishu. The two countries have also cooperated on humanitarian responses, educational initiatives, and health programmes, extending the relationship beyond strategic state interests to encompass the welfare of ordinary people. Religious and cultural ties, rooted in centuries of Muslim-majority populations maintaining contacts through trade and scholarship along the Indian Ocean and Red Sea corridors, provide an additional layer of connection, while the growing Somali diaspora community in Türkiye creates a living bridge between the two societies. All of these dimensions of the relationship were explored in the forum discussions, with participants emphasising the comprehensive nature of the partnership and the need to sustain and deepen it across all sectors.

Jama’s confidence in the ability of the two countries to resist efforts to undermine their partnership reflects a realistic assessment of the relationship’s strengths. The partnership has weathered numerous challenges over the past decade and more, including political transitions in both countries, regional crises, economic difficulties, and periodic attempts to disrupt the relationship through propaganda and misinformation. Each challenge has, in many ways, made the partnership stronger, as both sides have developed greater expertise in navigating difficulties and a deeper appreciation for the value of the relationship. The institutionalisation of cooperation through formal agreements, joint committees, and regular high-level exchanges creates processes and relationships that are more resilient than a relationship dependent on the goodwill of individual leaders. The broad base of popular support for the partnership in both countries, particularly in Somalia where Turkish assistance is widely appreciated, provides a foundation that is difficult to undermine through information manipulation alone. These factors give substance to Jama’s expression of confidence while still acknowledging the need for vigilance and proactive efforts to protect the partnership’s interests.

Looking Forward: Sustaining and Strengthening a Partnership for the Future

As the discussion forum concluded, the broader implications of Jama’s address began to come into focus. His speech effectively laid out an agenda for the next phase of the Somali-Turkish partnership, one in which the protection and strengthening of the relationship against information threats is elevated to a strategic priority alongside the traditional pillars of diplomacy, economics, and defence. The Speaker’s call for enhanced social media engagement in both countries’ media strategies points towards a comprehensive approach to strategic communications that recognises the central role of digital platforms in shaping contemporary public opinion. This approach would likely include expanded training and capacity-building for communicators in both countries, enhanced coordination between government agencies responsible for public diplomacy, the development of rapid response mechanisms to counter misleading narratives quickly and effectively, and sustained investment in telling the positive stories of the partnership in compelling and accessible ways. It may also involve deeper engagement with civil society, religious leaders, youth organisations, the business community, and diaspora groups who can serve as credible voices conveying the benefits of the partnership to different audiences.

The broader regional context also suggests that the partnership between Somalia and Türkiye will continue to be important for the stability and development of the Horn of Africa. As Somalia continues its long and difficult journey towards greater stability and prosperity, it will continue to need engaged international partners who are willing to make long-term commitments rather than pursuing short-term interests. Türkiye has positioned itself as such a partner, combining its place in the global economy and diplomatic system with a demonstrated willingness to engage directly with Somali stakeholders on terms that Somalis themselves find acceptable. The partnership has evolved through natural stages of growth, from humanitarian assistance to development cooperation to strategic alliance, and there is every reason to believe it will continue to deepen and expand in the future. Challenges remain, including the persistent threat of disagreements over specific issues, the need to manage the security dimension carefully as Somalia works to complete its security transition, and the inevitable complications that arise in any complex bilateral relationship. But the fundamental foundations of the partnership, rooted in shared values, mutual respect, and demonstrated commitment, provide reassurance that these challenges can be managed successfully through ongoing dialogue and cooperation.

Ultimately, Jama’s call for stronger efforts to protect the partnership from misinformation is a recognition that great achievements must be actively defended. The Somali-Turkish relationship has emerged as one of the most significant bilateral partnerships in Africa, a model of South-South cooperation that demonstrates the potential for meaningful collaboration between nations in different regions of the world. Its success has been built on a foundation of trust that represents a genuine achievement, trust between governments and peoples that has been carefully constructed over years of engagement and has weathered numerous challenges. The threat of misinformation and disinformation campaigns to this trust should not be underestimated, particularly in an era when digital platforms enable the rapid spread of false narratives and when the strategic competition in the Horn of Africa creates incentives for disruptive activity. By drawing attention to this threat and calling for a coordinated response, the parliamentary speaker has performed an important service to both nations, ensuring that the future of the partnership is not left to chance but is instead deliberately shaped and protected. The confidence he expressed in the ability of the two governments and the two peoples to safeguard their shared interests reflects the underlying strength of a bond forged through shared humanitarian values, deepened through development cooperation, and solidified through a recognized alignment of strategic interests. On that foundation, the Somali-Turkish partnership appears well-positioned to meet the challenges that lie ahead and to continue contributing to the peace and prosperity of both nations and the broader region.