On this day ten years ago

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

August 19, 2011, was maalintuu madaxweyne Erdogan, wasiiradiisa, eheladooda iyo saraakiisha kale wafdigiisa weynaa ka kid ahaa soo booqdeen Xamar. Xaafadda Islii, Nayroobi, ayaa ku sugnaa and I knew a lot will change.

However, many were not expecting the changes that happened and thought it was a classic PR 'igu sawir' visit and Turkiga will not care. These folks were proven wrong. Booqashadiisa caalamka ayuu xaalka Soomaaliya u iftiimey, siiba abaartii xumeyd ka jirtay markaas. 

[galbeedi]

 

A decade ago, when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, then prime minister, set foot in Mogadishu, the most high-profile visit by a non-African leader to Somalia attracted the world’s attention to the dire humanitarian crisis in the country. Turkey’s priority in Somalia was to deliver humanitarian aid to those affected by the drought, the worst in East Africa in 60 years.

For effective humanitarian aid delivery, road and other infrastructure projects were soon underway in the capital, and the Turkish Embassy in Mogadishu was opened.

Turkish governmental and civil society organizations were providing humanitarian and development aid, building schools and providing scholarships to Somali students to study in Turkey. Soon other foreign missions were established, and the city was booming, attracting new businesses and waves of diaspora communities coming back to their home country.

Doors for trade between the two countries were opened. Turkish companies began investing in Somalia, and some of them won lucrative deals to manage Mogadishu’s port and airport. Meanwhile, many Somali entrepreneurs have since opened businesses in Turkey, and hundreds of others have made Turkey their preferred destination for higher education and health tourism.

Turkey’s efforts in Somalia were seen as a success of its soft power approach there. Both Turkey and Somalia reiterated the importance of shared historical and cultural ties in strengthening their relations and pursuing ways of seeking more cooperation in other domains. The Horn of Africa country became Turkey’s gateway to East Africa and the wider sub-Saharan Africa. Aug. 19, 2021, marks the 10th anniversary of the resumption of relations between Turkey and Somalia. These relations, which have been strengthened and developed in various spheres, are poised to grow deeper looking forward.

 

- Beyond soft power

A series of developments at the international, regional and local levels have encouraged both countries to widen their relations beyond humanitarian, development, cultural and trade relations.

Following the failed July 15, 2016 coup in Turkey orchestrated by the FETO movement, Turkey sought to cement its presence in the Middle East and Africa, where the terrorist group has been maintaining a strong presence.

Regionally, Turkey was wary of the influence of countries like the United Arab Emirates in advancing anti-Turkish interests. Meanwhile, US support in northern Syria for YPG, which is affiliated with the PKK, a terrorist organization that has been responsible for the deaths of thousands of Turkish citizens since the 1980s, signaled to Turkey that it should be more proactive militarily in the region if it is to secure its national interests.

Encouraged by its military-technological revolution such as the Bayraktar TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), Turkey embarked on its hard power approach as seen in Libya, Syria, and Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Keen to secure its strategic interests in Somalia, Turkey built the TURKSOM military academy on the outskirts of Mogadishu to train Somali troops.

Internationally, Turkey saw an opportunity in taking advantage of what it perceives as an emerging multi-polar world order which will allow it as a regional power to flex its muscles and to demonstrate its strategic importance.

For Somalia, securing and liberating the country from the threat posed by al-Shabaab militants as well as protecting its borders has been a top priority for successive governments.

To achieve this, Somalia was in search of a militarily strong ally willing to support it generously. Almost 2,500 Somali soldiers have received training so far at TURKSOM, and Turkey has been generous in donating crucial military equipment to Somalia.

So far, Turkish-trained forces have been at the forefront of the fight against al-Shabaab as part of the Somali National Army (SNA) and have been able to liberate new strategic towns such as Janale in the southeastern Lower Shebelle region of Somalia.

Moreover, al-Shabaab attacks in the capital Mogadishu have declined.

TURKSOM is also important for Somalia as the regional force, the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM), gradually scales down its presence in the country to allow the SNA to take over Somalia’s fight against terrorism.

Former US President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw approximately 800 US troops from Somalia in December last year also means that Turkey’s role in rebuilding the SNA is urgent and should be accelerated.

 

- Smart power

The aforementioned factors have encouraged Turkey to blend its soft power approach in Somalia and across the region with hard power to secure its national and strategic interests. Joseph Nye, an American political scientist, calls this blending “smart power.”

Turkey’s growing smart power approach in Somalia is significant for both sides. For Turkey, it can become a pivotal player in the Horn of Africa region, secure its long-term strategic interests and widen its presence in sub-Saharan Africa.

For Somalia, an honest and reliable ally like Turkey that is willing to support it during its most difficult times and to generously share its expertise in the military field is an indispensable gain.

Recent developments in Afghanistan should serve as a great lesson for Somalia that international support is unreliable.

The US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban takeover is a testament to Somalia that it cannot afford to rely on AMISOM or US military support. Hence, Turkey’s readiness to provide professional training and equipment to Somali soldiers is the kind of support Somalia needs and its leaders should embrace.

[AbdillahiSamatar]

9 hours ago, galbeedi said:

 

A decade ago, when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, then prime minister, set foot in Mogadishu, the most high-profile visit by a non-African leader to Somalia attracted the world’s attention to the dire humanitarian crisis in the country. Turkey’s priority in Somalia was to deliver humanitarian aid to those affected by the drought, the worst in East Africa in 60 years.

For effective humanitarian aid delivery, road and other infrastructure projects were soon underway in the capital, and the Turkish Embassy in Mogadishu was opened.

Turkish governmental and civil society organizations were providing humanitarian and development aid, building schools and providing scholarships to Somali students to study in Turkey. Soon other foreign missions were established, and the city was booming, attracting new businesses and waves of diaspora communities coming back to their home country.

Doors for trade between the two countries were opened. Turkish companies began investing in Somalia, and some of them won lucrative deals to manage Mogadishu’s port and airport. Meanwhile, many Somali entrepreneurs have since opened businesses in Turkey, and hundreds of others have made Turkey their preferred destination for higher education and health tourism.

Turkey’s efforts in Somalia were seen as a success of its soft power approach there. Both Turkey and Somalia reiterated the importance of shared historical and cultural ties in strengthening their relations and pursuing ways of seeking more cooperation in other domains. The Horn of Africa country became Turkey’s gateway to East Africa and the wider sub-Saharan Africa. Aug. 19, 2021, marks the 10th anniversary of the resumption of relations between Turkey and Somalia. These relations, which have been strengthened and developed in various spheres, are poised to grow deeper looking forward.

 

- Beyond soft power

A series of developments at the international, regional and local levels have encouraged both countries to widen their relations beyond humanitarian, development, cultural and trade relations.

Following the failed July 15, 2016 coup in Turkey orchestrated by the FETO movement, Turkey sought to cement its presence in the Middle East and Africa, where the terrorist group has been maintaining a strong presence.

Regionally, Turkey was wary of the influence of countries like the United Arab Emirates in advancing anti-Turkish interests. Meanwhile, US support in northern Syria for YPG, which is affiliated with the PKK, a terrorist organization that has been responsible for the deaths of thousands of Turkish citizens since the 1980s, signaled to Turkey that it should be more proactive militarily in the region if it is to secure its national interests.

Encouraged by its military-technological revolution such as the Bayraktar TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), Turkey embarked on its hard power approach as seen in Libya, Syria, and Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Keen to secure its strategic interests in Somalia, Turkey built the TURKSOM military academy on the outskirts of Mogadishu to train Somali troops.

Internationally, Turkey saw an opportunity in taking advantage of what it perceives as an emerging multi-polar world order which will allow it as a regional power to flex its muscles and to demonstrate its strategic importance.

For Somalia, securing and liberating the country from the threat posed by al-Shabaab militants as well as protecting its borders has been a top priority for successive governments.

To achieve this, Somalia was in search of a militarily strong ally willing to support it generously. Almost 2,500 Somali soldiers have received training so far at TURKSOM, and Turkey has been generous in donating crucial military equipment to Somalia.

So far, Turkish-trained forces have been at the forefront of the fight against al-Shabaab as part of the Somali National Army (SNA) and have been able to liberate new strategic towns such as Janale in the southeastern Lower Shebelle region of Somalia.

Moreover, al-Shabaab attacks in the capital Mogadishu have declined.

TURKSOM is also important for Somalia as the regional force, the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM), gradually scales down its presence in the country to allow the SNA to take over Somalia’s fight against terrorism.

Former US President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw approximately 800 US troops from Somalia in December last year also means that Turkey’s role in rebuilding the SNA is urgent and should be accelerated.

 

- Smart power

The aforementioned factors have encouraged Turkey to blend its soft power approach in Somalia and across the region with hard power to secure its national and strategic interests. Joseph Nye, an American political scientist, calls this blending “smart power.”

Turkey’s growing smart power approach in Somalia is significant for both sides. For Turkey, it can become a pivotal player in the Horn of Africa region, secure its long-term strategic interests and widen its presence in sub-Saharan Africa.

For Somalia, an honest and reliable ally like Turkey that is willing to support it during its most difficult times and to generously share its expertise in the military field is an indispensable gain.

Recent developments in Afghanistan should serve as a great lesson for Somalia that international support is unreliable.

The US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban takeover is a testament to Somalia that it cannot afford to rely on AMISOM or US military support. Hence, Turkey’s readiness to provide professional training and equipment to Somali soldiers is the kind of support Somalia needs and its leaders should embrace.

You do know the soviet Government from 1960 until 1977 trained most of the Somali army right? You do know that when the Barre government started using said army against the population rebel groups sprung up right? You do know that this same army disintegrated and joined their respected clan militias when all out civil war erupted in Southern Somalia in 1991 right? 

Training military personal does not mean anything unless that personal can protect the country from chaos. Somalia is morally and ethnically bankrupt and will most likely fold overnight to any terrorist group with a mild will to win. Turkey does not care about anything other than what is good for Turkey.

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

 

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

 

[maakhiri1]

10 years , How time flies! We were hopeful then ,not much done 

10 years is a very long time,  and situation in Somalia isn't much different,  

[galbeedi]

11 hours ago, maakhiri1 said:

10 years is a very long time,  and situation in Somalia isn't much different, 

Agree. War profiteers are the only one getting rich. 

Doesn't matter how much others do, unless you help your self nothing changes.

[Khadafi]

Do you guys remember Sergey Buubka, the the russian olympian who allways jumped high, and even jumped higher during the 80-ties. I remember a year ago seeing a facebook video upon a few Turkish agronomists teaching Somalis how to plant tomatoes. Everyone was clapping and were joyfull!  The Turks are here! Finally they have taught us how to put a seed in the in the ground and water it.

during the 80-ties before the collapse and Somali when Somalis elite who were erratic and their ideology jumped of the  communist train 78, God bless them. We dont need shuuciyad. But the old man turned to Johnsson. An american white guy was teaching somalis in jowhar while secretly spreading christianity who to plant tomatoes! Everyone was jofull! and happy.

Here comes our boy Sergei Booba in the picture if your old enough to remember him. When the old man embracing a racist jewish guys teachings called Marxism, and icing on the cake called leninism or kufr  Sergey Buubkas folks came all the way from Siberia and taught how to put a seed in the ground and let it grow.

Before that our fore fathers fought viciously so that the murderor Graziani and his italian criminal monsters would not force our people to teach us their ways. Alle ha u naxariistio SYL fought for somalis to stand on their own feet. 

I am happy that the kemalist narrative in Turkey has been destroyed.  I dont know if you guys know but even Turkey is know re-inventing the Turkish history after how the kemalists cleansed those who defended the tomb of our belobed Abu Ayoub Ansari and the seat of the declining caliphate Istaanbul. 40% of the martys in the famous battle of Canakkle or Galipoli where the british and the french were beaten where non turks.  Kurds from mosul, sudanese, eritreans, and even a somali heeded the call from the caliph to defend instanbul. 

Unfortunately Ottomans were during that time poisoned. While the millet system based upon religion kept the ethnic card and made it  non-relevant the young lads swallowed  the european poison of nationalism.  Mustafa Kemal, a man who I dislike but somalis say "gaalka gartiisa sii" saved Turkey from colonialism and defended istanbul. But he also erased those 40% of the martyrs of their name. Erdogan recently payed 5 million dollars to 5000 sudanese families from kassala who sent their sons to defend Istanbul. They made a  new movie where the ottoman empire and its boundaries are defined, Somalia is included.

The movie starts with Turkish mother saying farwell after receiving a letter that the son is needed, the same  thing happens to Ahmed the african, and to Indian.  The film even included and arab family and a kurdish family 7 lads from different ethnic groups joining a company and defending  Istanbul.  That movie became a best seller in 2016 and crushed the kemalist narrative.

The movie ends with  with a statement saying 40% of those who died came from the corners of the Ottoman lands to defend their faith and countrey.  For more then 80 years the kemalists   pushed the narrative of the Arab backstabbing but Erdogan revealed the facts and vast majority of the Arab people stood behind the ottomans until the end. The Movie also became a most watched movie in Turkey but one man was missing and was not made a hero- Guess who?  Mustafa Kemal.  Why am I telling this? Ottomans are not new to Somalia? Who aided the Somali Imaam Axmed Gurrey  who crushed the Abyssinian Empire and killed Vasco da Gamaz brother in the mountainous terrain of of Axum?

When the Portuguese came with 2000 rifle men to aid the Abyssinian thirst for war a coast and access to the sea , Imaam Axmed Gurey sent a letter to Sultan Suleyman and asked for aid. According to Ottoman chronicles Imam Axmed  gabe a stern warning that holy Muslim relics were in danger and the red sea would be in danger to be in the hand of the franks /portoguse and awdal/adal fell.

The sent 5000 Janisarries, elite storm soldiers and within 4 years the Amxaro plus the the tigreega surrenderd on the condition that the grave site of the just king and one of the few king who saw the light and became a Muslim, the Axumite king najashi,  Najashi mosque would be expanded and protected. Ruqayya the daughter of the prophet and 28 saxaabo are buried. Until today Imam Najashi mosque is intact and the letter of surrender of protection is in the mosque. Indeed the prophet made salatul-janaza for him when he died. Would he have not accepted the true teachings of jesus and the last prophet, jacaylkeena Mustafa would have never made that janaza upon hearing his death.

I visited najashi  mosquea and Sayyida Ruqayya and after that I finally made a humle ziyaaro to my murshid buried in  in the semi deserts of quluunqul Shaykh Cabdiraxman Zeylaci al Qaadari.  It was sad to see that the jeberti tigrean Muslims kept their religious sites well kept and the biggest Somali religious site a , the master of Sheekh Xuseen baal the oromo who made his people muslims, the man who spread Islam with his love and sainthood was  shady and untidy and the journey to it was perilous.

If Mostafa Omer is reading  this  , Please do instruct the minister of religion and awqaafta to protect important Somali religious sites.  So how did we come here, from Sergey Buubka to this? Somalia wil allways be at the center of events. 

God has made the Somali peninsula a place a strategic worth. Realpolitik is driven by intrests and the Turks have put their cards on us. Little did they know how fragile we were.  What makes sad though is how we had the great agronomists who are now living on wellfair in a western country, well educated in italy, russia and USA.  My message is that NO ONE, no TURK, no ARAB can change the the narrative about Somalia except Somalis themselves. Just as the turks isolated themselves in 1930 when they saw they could not compete on the international scale the so can somalis if they unite.

They educated themselves in everykind of technology and only opened up the  slowly economy with the late Torgut Özal who himself was a firm hidden anti-kemalist. Even the chinese did the same things, They isolated themselves, taught their people the hard way and only opened up the economy when they could compete on the world scale. Indeed compete they did. They did so in a  few years that the whites of America,  out of work and high on pharmaceutical drugs blamed chinese when american capitalism was not benefiting Americans. 

In conclusion, Somalia whose capital is now under seige has government that is not even able to impose tariffs on US akaid in order to stimulate the farmers. Why would a Somali engage in back breaking wheat production when the EU sends " free wheat aid" when time is to harvest?  The black market buys the aid and sells 1 kg for 10 dollats while Somali farmer needs to sell it minimum 30 dollar not order to make profit but to regain what he invested. 40 dollar/kg dollars would give him 10 dollars a profit.

 

Amarya seng, the bangladeshi economist showed  the world who shrewd and cruel the white gaalo are. While Somaliland was busy flirting with UAE no one in Somaliland have ever made a study about self sustainment. Obsession with political recognition made them so desperate that they signed a semi-colonial dusty cruel Emirati arabs who do not want to see a thriving Somaliland.  The south is not much more better. While  capital is under seige we have a president who protected by Amisom tanks but likes pough and shout as if his uncle is alive. Attending meetings with the killer of muslims in Eritrea instead of taking a plane to Kismayo and talking and being a cermonial president he should be, he chose to eliminate the the few institutions that Somalia needed, Jawaaris parliament was replaced with a guulwade and he was busy buying of regional leader in order to get re elected.

War bax dee, My late grand mother who hails from warsheekh used to say "maandhow nin aan yaabin ayaa yaabay".  Thats who to describe the despicable somali politics.