Türkiye Emerges As Somalia’s Most Favoured Foreign Partner, Survey Finds

A new Sababi Institute survey has found that Türkiye is the most positively viewed foreign partner among Somalis surveyed in Marka, Jowhar, Adado and Bossaso. Of the 1,205 respondents, 68% identified Türkiye as Somalia's greatest ally, while 81% said its presence was having a positive effect on their communities and 83% preferred Türkiye in security-related comparisons. Researchers linked the strong perception partly to Türkiye's visible involvement in Somalia since 2011, including healthcare, infrastructure, education, military training and development projects. Turkish support for Somalia's security institutions, TİKA development programmes and the Somalia-Türkiye Training and Research Hospital have helped strengthen ties between the two countries.

Türkiye has emerged as the most positively viewed foreign partner among Somali citizens surveyed in four major urban centres, according to a new public-opinion study by the Sababi Institute.
The study found that a clear majority of respondents consider Türkiye Somalia's most important ally and believe its involvement is having a positive impact on their communities.
The findings offer an insight into how Somalis in Marka, Jowhar, Adado and Bossaso view foreign countries and institutions involved in Somalia's security, politics, development and economy.

TURKEY RANKS AS SOMALIA'S TOP ALLY

According to the survey, 68 per cent of respondents identified Türkiye as Somalia's greatest ally, placing Ankara ahead of the other foreign actors examined.
Türkiye also received strong support when respondents were asked about its local impact.
Some 81 per cent said Türkiye was having a positive effect on their location, while the country was preferred in 83 per cent of head-to-head comparisons involving Somalia's security.
The results are notable because the survey covered communities with different political and geographical backgrounds.
The four locations include areas associated with Somalia's federal government as well as Puntland. Bossaso, located on the Gulf of Aden, has historically had a more limited direct Turkish presence than Mogadishu.

SURVEY COVERED MORE THAN 1,200 SOMALIS

The research was conducted in March 2026 by Mohamed Keynan, Manar Zaki and Partha Moman.
A total of 1,205 Somali citizens took part in the survey.
Researchers asked participants four main questions.
They first asked respondents, without providing a list of options, which country or institution they considered Somalia's most important ally.
The second question asked which external actor they considered Somalia's greatest threat.
The third examined whether a randomly selected foreign actor was making their local area better or worse.
The fourth presented respondents with two randomly selected external actors and asked which one they believed would be better for Somalia's security.
The researchers said the questions were designed to measure perceptions across several areas, including alliances, local impact and security.

VISIBLE TURKISH INVOLVEMENT MAY EXPLAIN POPULARITY

The Sababi Institute suggested that the visibility of Turkish engagement could be one reason for the country's strong public standing.
Researchers noted that Türkiye has maintained a highly visible presence in Somalia since 2011, with its involvement extending beyond traditional diplomacy.
Infrastructure projects have been particularly important.
The researchers highlighted Turkish-linked projects and institutions associated with Mogadishu airport, the port and the Somalia-Türkiye Training and Research Hospital as examples of projects that may have shaped public perceptions.
The hospital, which opened in Mogadishu in 2015, has become one of the most recognisable symbols of Turkish development cooperation in Somalia.

SECURITY COOPERATION DEEPENS TIES

Security cooperation has also become a major pillar of relations between the two countries.
Türkiye has trained members of the Somali armed forces through its military partnership with Somalia, including at the TURKSOM military training facility in Mogadishu.
The partnership has supported Somalia's efforts to develop national security institutions capable of taking greater responsibility for protecting the country.
This cooperation has taken place as Somalia continues to confront the threat posed by al-Shabab, the armed extremist organisation responsible for numerous attacks and prolonged insecurity.
For Ankara, security cooperation has therefore been closely linked to its wider effort to support Somalia's state-building process.

A NEW GENERATION OF TURKISH-EDUCATED SOMALIS

The relationship between the two countries also extends into education and professional development.
A growing number of Somali students and professionals have studied in Türkiye, creating a generation of Somalis with direct educational and professional links to the country.
Many of those educated in Türkiye have gone on to work in Somalia's public and private sectors.
These personal connections have helped deepen people-to-people ties between the two countries beyond government-to-government relations.

TİKA PLAYS KEY DEVELOPMENT ROLE

Türkiye's development agency, TİKA, has also played an important role in the partnership.
Its projects in Somalia have covered areas including infrastructure, healthcare, education and humanitarian assistance.
The Somalia-Türkiye Training and Research Hospital remains one of the most prominent examples of this cooperation, providing medical services while also supporting healthcare training.
Such projects have given Turkish involvement a visible presence in the daily lives of many Somalis.

POSITIVE PERCEPTION CUTS ACROSS REGIONS

One of the most significant aspects of the Sababi survey is that Türkiye's positive image was not confined to a single political constituency.
The research covered areas with different relationships to Somalia's federal government and Puntland, suggesting that Turkish engagement may have developed a broader appeal.
However, the researchers cautioned that public opinion is influenced by many factors and that the survey does not by itself establish why respondents hold particular views.
The strong results nevertheless indicate that Türkiye has developed a distinctive position in the eyes of many Somalis.

SOMALIA-TÜRKIYE
RELATIONS CONTINUE TO EXPAND

Türkiye's relationship with Somalia has developed substantially over the past 15 years, moving from humanitarian assistance into a broad partnership covering security, healthcare, education, infrastructure, trade and diplomacy.
The latest survey suggests that these efforts have translated into a favourable public image among the Somalis questioned.
With Somalia still facing major security and development challenges, Ankara's continued involvement could make Türkiye an increasingly important partner in the country's efforts to strengthen state institutions and improve living conditions.
The findings also demonstrate that foreign influence in Somalia is not judged solely through diplomatic agreements or government statements. For many citizens, visible infrastructure, healthcare, education and security assistance can play a major role in determining which international partners they trust and value most.