Somalia has partnered with Turkey to explore offshore oil reserves, with the Turkish vessel Cagri Bey beginning deep-sea drilling near Mogadishu. Backed by a broader defense and economic pact, the project could unlock reserves estimated at up to 30 billion barrels. In Somalia, the initiative is seen as a historic opportunity to transform the conflict-ridden nation’s poverty into prosperity. For Turkey, securing new energy resources is critical to reducing its reliance on Iranian and Russian imports amid ongoing global shortages exacerbated by the Iran war. However, the development could leave ordinary Somalis with little benefit. Analysts warn that Turkey has embedded itself so deeply across Somalia’s economy, military, and institutions that Mogadishu’s control over revenues may prove elusive. For Somalis to meaningfully benefit from their natural resources, Mogadishu has to negotiate terms that keep wealth at home rather than simply trading one form of dependency for another.
DW
