Mohamoud Walaaleye
From university scholarships to political influence: questions emerge over Ankara’s expanding footprint in Somalia and Somaliland
Concerns are growing among some Somaliland commentators and political observers over what they describe as Turkey’s expanding influence in Somali affairs, including attempts to cultivate political influence among Somalilanders educated in Turkish universities.
Journalist Journalist Ahmed Agel, in a post published on Facebook yesterday, recounted what he described as a meeting in Hargeisa between Turkish government officials and young Somalilanders who had graduated from universities in Turkey.
According to Agel, the central question posed to the graduates was striking:
“Why have you failed to influence Somaliland’s politics and economy, unlike those in Mogadishu and elsewhere who play a prominent role?”
He said the Turkish officials contrasted the Somaliland graduates with young people who had studied in countries including Malaysia, Sudan, Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia, arguing that graduates from those countries had become much more influential in Somaliland’s political and economic affairs.
The remarks, as presented by Ahmed Agel, raise a broader question: Is Ankara seeking to build a network of political and economic influence through Somaliland’s educated elite?
A wider Turkish footprint
The concerns go beyond university graduates.
In an interview earlier, Somalian MP Professor Abdi Ismail Samatar claimed that some Somali students who graduated from Turkish universities had subsequently been placed on salaries and tasked with sharing important information.
Samatar also argued that Turkey has gained substantial influence over Somalia’s economic and strategic sectors, claiming that Turkish interests have expanded into areas including the port, airport, oil, banking, fishing, construction and healthcare sectors in Mogadishu.
He portrayed Turkey’s growing role not simply as an economic partnership but as part of a broader effort to influence the political direction of Somalia.
According to his argument, Turkish involvement has increasingly extended into the political and security spheres, including relationships with different political actors and armed groups.
From soft power to political leverage?
Turkey’s influence in Somalia has developed over more than a decade through humanitarian assistance, education, infrastructure projects, business investment, military cooperation and diplomatic engagement.
That combination of aid, education, commerce and security cooperation has given Ankara an unusually broad presence in Somalia affairs.
For critics such as Agel and Samater, however, the concern is that what begins as soft power can eventually become political leverage.
The question they raise is particularly sensitive in Somaliland, where the government has spent decades security to maintain its separate political identity and pursue international recognition.
If foreign governments are actively encouraging educated young people to become more politically engaged, critics argue, the issue is not simply about education or employment—it could become a question of who ultimately shapes Somaliland’s political choices.
The Puntland incident
Ahmed Agel also pointed to the recent killing of suspected pirates along the Puntland coast as another indication of what he sees as Turkey’s expanding role in Somalia’s security affairs.
He described the killing of 11 pirates as evidence that Turkey could increasingly become involved in security agendas and conflicts affecting Somalia actors.
From there, he issued a much broader warning: that Somaliland should not assume it would remain outside the reach of Turkey’s expanding regional ambitions.
“Do not be surprised if they attack Somaliland as well,” he wrote, arguing that Turkey is already involved with armed groups operating in different parts of the Horn region.
A warning about the future
The strongest language in Agel’s post came at the end, where he accused Turkey of behaving like “a new colonial power hiding behind the name of Islam.”
He argued that Somalia’s media had been praising Turkey since 2015 and warned that the consequences of that relationship would eventually become apparent.
The rhetoric reflects a growing debate over Turkey’s role in the Horn of Africa: Is Ankara a strategic partner investing in Somalia and supporting its development, or is it building a sphere of influence that could eventually constrain the political independence of local actors?
For Somaliland, the question is particularly consequential.
As Somaliland seeks international recognition and attempts to deepen relationships with a range of global powers, the growing influence of Turkey presents a complicated strategic challenge.
The debate is therefore no longer simply about Turkey’s presence in Somalia. It is increasingly about how far that influence reaches—and whether Somaliland will remain able to determine its own political and economic direction without external pressure.