Somalia’s president heads to Turkey as Israel’s Somaliland recognition rattles region
The Somali leader’s visit comes amid a heightened Turkish-Israeli rivalry, fueled by Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, in the region and beyond.
ANKARA — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud will visit Turkey on Tuesday, just days after Israel surprised observers by recognizing its breakaway region — Somaliland — as an independent state, becoming the first country to do so.
What happened: Talks during Mohamud’s visit, the first foreign visit since Israel’s recognition, will review bilateral relations “in all dimensions” and explore steps to deepen cooperation, the Turkish Presidency's Director of Communications Burhanettin Duran announced Monday.
The two leaders will also discuss “the steps taken by the Somali Federal Government to ensure national unity, as well as regional developments,” Duran wrote on X.
The visit, which had not been previously announced, comes amid mounting backlash against Israel’s decision to recognize Somaliland, a breakaway region that declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but has never gained international recognition.
