Somalia invites Turkey to explore for oil

Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyyip Erdogan, has told reporters the Somali government has invited Turkey to explore for oil off its coast. 

It is thought the offer came following a similar agreement between Turkey and the UN-back Government of National Accord, led by Tripoli-based Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj.

Erdogan told broadcaster NTV “There is an offer from Somalia.  They are saying: ‘There is oil in our seas.  You are carrying out these operations in Libya, but you can also do them here.’  This is very important for us.”

The President went on to confirm they were engaging with Somali officials on the matter: “Therefore, there will be steps that we will take in our operations there.”

He did not further elaborate on any of the details, such as how or when exploration would start.

This would not be the first time Turkey has looked for oil off the East African coast, but Turkish workers have, in the past, been targeted in bomb attacks by the Islamic militant group al-Shabaab.

Photo credit: Reuters | Umit Bektas