The Turkish Navy will assume responsibility for the protection of Somali territorial waters for the next 10 years. This follows from the agreement on defense and economic cooperation signed between Turkey and Somalia. This is reported by the Turkish Anadolu Agency with reference to the statement of Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mahmud, UNN reports.
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The President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud, noted that the agreement also provides for joint measures to combat terrorism, piracy and illegal fishing.
This is an important event for our country. The agreement on defense cooperation with Turkey, a NATO member, emphasizes our strategic partnership
The Somali President also noted that the country is in a difficult situation because of the operations against the al-Shabaab terrorist movement. According to him, the operation is "making significant progress". However, as the president noted, amid this struggle, "a neighboring country has created a new front for Somalia." This is probably Ethiopia.
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News of the agreement between Somalia and Turkey comes amid ongoing tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia. In early January, the Ethiopian government signed an agreement with the unrecognized state of Somaliland on access to the port of Berbera in the Red Sea. Somalia considers Somaliland (located in the northern part of the Horn of Africa) its territory. After signing the agreement, the Somali leadership demanded that the agreement be canceled and recalled its ambassador to Ethiopia.