Turkey to send navy to Somalia after agreeing oil and gas search

Turkey is set to send navy support to Somali waters after the two countries agreed Ankara will send an exploration vessel off the coast of Somalia to prospect for oil and gas.

President Tayyip Erdogan submitted a motion to the Turkish parliament late on Friday, seeking authorisation for the deployment of Turkish military to Somalia including the country's territorial waters, state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

The move came a day after the Turkish energy ministry announced that Turkey will send an exploration vessel off the coast of Somalia later this year to search for oil and gas as part of a hydrocarbon cooperation deal between two countries.

Earlier this year, Turkey and Somalia signed a defence and economic cooperation agreement during Somali defence minister's visit to Ankara.

Turkey has become a close ally of the Somali government in recent years. Ankara has built schools, hospitals and infrastructure and provided scholarships for Somalis to study in Turkey.

In 2017, Turkey opened its biggest overseas military base in Mogadishu. Turkey also provides training to Somali military and police.

(Reuters)