Türkiye is set to bolster its naval presence in Somali waters following an agreement between the two nations for Ankara to 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 forces, including naval support, to Somalia’s territorial waters, as reported by state-run Anadolu Agency.

This development follows an announcement by the Turkish energy ministry that an exploration vessel will be dispatched later this year as part of a hydrocarbon cooperation deal. The agreement, signed on Thursday in Istanbul, grants Türkiye exclusive rights to explore and produce hydrocarbons in three offshore blocks, each covering 5,000 square kilometers. The signing ceremony was attended by Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar and Somalia’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Abdirizak Omar Mohamed.

Minister Bayraktar detailed that two of the blocks are located approximately 50 kilometers offshore, while the third is 100 kilometers from the coast. Initial three-dimensional seismic activities will commence in the designated areas with the Oruc Reis ship, set to begin operations by the end of September or early October.

Earlier this year, Turkey and Somalia strengthened their bilateral ties with a defence and economic cooperation agreement signed during the Somali defence minister’s visit to Ankara.

Türkiye has emerged as a significant ally to the Somali government, contributing to the nation’s development through the construction of schools, hospitals, and infrastructure, as well as offering scholarships for Somali students to study in Turkey.

In 2017, Turkey inaugurated its largest overseas military base in Mogadishu and has been actively involved in training Somali military and police forces.