In recent years, Western policymakers have devoted significant attention to the regional activities of Iran, particularly in the Middle East. Iran’s influence, often exercised through proxy networks and ideological alliances, is widely scrutinized and openly debated. However, this intense focus has arguably diverted attention from other emerging geopolitical actors whose strategies are less confrontational in appearance but equally consequential in effect.

One such actor is Turkey. Unlike Iran, Turkey employs a multidimensional approach that blends diplomacy, economic investment, humanitarian engagement, and selective military cooperation. Nowhere is this strategy more evident than in the Horn of Africa, particularly in Somalia. While Turkey’s engagement is often presented as constructive and mutually beneficial, its long-term geopolitical implications deserve closer examination, especially in relation to Somaliland.

Over the past decade, Turkey has established itself as a key partner of Somalia’s federal government. Its involvement includes:

The establishment of a major military training facility in Mogadishu

Large-scale infrastructure development, including roads, hospitals, and airport modernization

Expanding trade and economic partnerships

Diplomatic and political support for Somalia’s territorial unity

This engagement is neither hidden nor informal; it is part of Turkey’s broader foreign policy aimed at expanding its influence across Africa and beyond.........

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