Somali President Visits Turkey After Israel Recognizes Somaliland

JAKARTA - Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud visited his close ally, Turkey. This visit came shortly after Israel's recognition of Somaliland's unilateral independence.

Anadolu reported that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received Sheikh Mohamud directly at the Dolmabahçe Presidential Office, Istanbul, during his visit on Tuesday local time.

The visit was made at the official invitation of President Erdogan.

Previously on Friday, December 26, Turkey condemned Israel's recognition of the independence of Somaliland, which is part of the Somali Republic. Turkey called Israel's efforts "a blatant interference in Somalia's domestic affairs."

According to AFP reports, the Turkish government is a close ally of Somalia, providing military and economic assistance to the country that has been devastated by civil war since the early 1990s.

Turkey is helping rebuild the army and its infrastructure while ensuring its presence in East Africa, including at sea.

Somaliland declared independence in 1991, when Somalia was plunged into chaos after the fall of dictator Siad Barre.

Since then, Somaliland has operated autonomously and has its own currency, army, and police.

In general, Somaliland has experienced greater stability than Somalia, whose capital Mogadishu is often the target of Al-Shabab militant attacks.

Diplomatic isolation is considered a solution to Israel's actions which intervene in the territory of other countries. Israel's recognition of Somaliland is also opposed by the African Union, Egypt, the Gulf Cooperation Council consisting of six countries, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation based in Saudi Arabia.

The European Union has also stressed that Somalia's sovereignty must be respected.