Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar unveiled that Ankara would dispatch a drilling vessel to Somali waters this February, marking its first-ever overseas deepwater exploration project, according to Reuters.
He noted that the Cagri Bey vessel will spearhead the operation in Somali offshore waters but gave no further details on reserves or investment.
“Turkey has added two new deepwater drilling ships to its fleet. The first, named Cagri Bey, will operate off the Somali coast,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said.
As part of part of its broader push to diversify supply and cut dependence on imports, Turkey sealed an energy exploration agreement with Somalia in 2024. The deal aimed at expanding exploration efforts both domestically and abroad.
The announcement came after Israel formally recognized Somaliland as a sovereign state in December 2025, marking the first nation to sign a joint declaration with Somaliland’s President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi.
Netanyahu described the recognition as a significant step towards “expanding our partnership. We intend to work together with you on economic fields, on agriculture, and the fields of social development.”
Moreover, he invited Abdullahi to formally visit Israel and he accepted.
The Israeli PM also promised Abdullahi to convey his desire to join the Abraham Accords to the US President Donald Trump.
The announcement drew strong condemnations and sparked several concerns regionally and internationally.
In a media conference with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Istanbul, Erdoğan said Israel’s move sought to destabilize the Horn of Africa.
Somalia’s government, backed by the African Union, has reacted angrily after the recognition, while Mogadishu labeled it as a “deliberate attack” on its sovereignty.
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