Export, though

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

What kind of one-way business is this by solely only importing and nothing else. Maan, it pisses me off. Turkiga should get organic Soomaali fruits, vegetables, diary and livestock as a start to come something closer to at least a quarter of this disparity. One way importation is not sustainable.

Turkiye's engagement in Somalia has opened avenues for Somali businesses

Logistical connectivity, integration have seen Turkish textiles dominate Somali markets

Somalia and Turkiye enjoy a special relationship, including trade, which encourages the Somali business community to travel to Turkiye to import everything from clothing to medicine.

If one visits Somalia's biggest markets in Bakara, Hamarwayne, and Suuq Bacaad in the capital, it would be easy to realize that the Turkish textile industry enjoys complete dominance.

Abduwahid Ahmed Ibrahim, a trader in Mogadishu, told Anadolu Agency that the friendship between Mogadishu and Ankara has provided an opportunity for big and small Somali companies to interact with their Turkish counterparts to import goods from Turkiye, especially textiles, electronics, construction materials, and furniture.

"I think the most important fact is that previously, clothes were imported from China and other countries, which were very cheap but of less quality. Now, all textile products from Turkiye are reliable and affordable, and Somali people can see the difference," said Ibrahim.

Batuulo Ahmed, a customer at a supermarket in Mogadishu, said not only textiles but Turkish electronics are also popular in the capital.

Ahmed, who has been to Turkiye several times, told Anadolu Agency that every piece of furniture in her home is “imported from Turkiye -- from the television to the dishwasher to the refrigerator are made in Turkiye."

Logistical connectivity

Mohamed Dubo, the director of the Somali Investment Promotion Office at the Ministry of Planning, told Anadolu Agency that he can pinpoint factors that contributed to the rise of Somali businesses and importers from Turkiye.

He said that since 2011, Turkiye has been involved in major developments in Somalia, from capacity building to helping public institutions get up and running to serve residents.

"I can say that there are three major factors, the first one being logistical connectivity -- airborne cargo between Somalia and Turkiye,” he said.

Dubo said there are also daily flights by Turkish Airlines from Istanbul to Mogadishu, and because of this, the Turkish and Somali business communities became more interconnected.

He said that when Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and other countries cut ties with Qatar and blockaded it in June 2017, Somalia decided not to take sides and remained neutral.

"The proxies in the Horn of Africa region and Gulf dispute saw Somalia lose the UAE and Kenya and start to lean toward Qatar and Turkiye. Since then, Somalia and Turkiye have become economically interconnected,” he said.

He noted that the Turkish language and economics, especially the relationship between the two countries and the cultural influence and integration, have also been the main reason why Turkiye is successful in Somalia.

Redefining identity

Abdifatah Hussein Mubarak, a lecturer at the faculty of economics and management science at Mogadishu University, believes Turkiye's engagement in Somalia has redefined its foreign policy identity, which has also opened up the space for businesses and civil society organizations to operate in Somalia.

Mubarak said Turkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s 2011 visit to Somalia, when he was then the prime minister, helped pave the way for closer cooperation in trade and investments. Afterward, Turkish exports to Somalia skyrocketed.

He said Turkiye’s assistance to Somalia helped restore confidence in the Somali government and projects that Ankara introduced have helped economic growth and investments in Somalia, which was much needed for a country that has seen many challenges, political in-fighting, civil war, and lawlessness for more than two decades.

"Turkiye has become Somalia’s prime partner in the security sector alongside the European Union mission in Somalia and the United States," he said.

He told Anadolu Agency that forces of the African Union Mission in Somalia and other efforts by regional blocs are good, but they cannot provide a lasting solution to the country’s security problems.

"Turkiye’s military base in Mogadishu, Camp TURKSOM, oversaw the training of the Somali Haramcad Special Police Unit and the Gorgor Commando Brigade in Turkiye, and both bodies have dealt heavy blows to the Al-Shabaab terror group," said Mubarak.

More Somali students were flown to Turkiye to receive higher education and scholarships at universities and institutions.

Mubarak said Turkish universities have offered Somali students higher quotas, rendering them one of the largest student bodies among the nearly 200,000 international students in Turkiye.

"Somalia has doctors and nurses who graduated from Turkish universities and have played significant roles in Somalia’s health sector,” he said.

The Recep Tayyip Erdogan Research Hospital was also inaugurated in Mogadishu in 2015.

"Over the years, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency has renovated numerous hospitals and health facilities across the country that were dilapidated from the civil war," he said.

According to Turkiye's Foreign Ministry, Turkiye's trade volume with Somalia stood at $187.3 million in 2018 and $250.85 million in 2019.

The value of Turkish investments in Somalia reached $100 million. Mogadishu International Airport and Mogadishu Sea Port are run by Turkish companies.

In 2020, Turkiye’s trade volume with Somalia amounted to an estimated $280 million and the estimated value of Turkish companies' investments in the country reached $100 million.

Xigasho

[Duufaan]

We do not even export livestock anymore. No one wants to buy millions livestock when they can buy ready freezing meat from Australia, even cheaper per pound. 
As long as the business people can import everything unlimited there will be no export. Somali fish and banana are wanted but there are no quality company that make investment.  Everyone is for quick cash.

[galbeedi]

13 hours ago, Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar said:

In 2020, Turkiye’s trade volume with Somalia amounted to an estimated $280 million

MMA, trade volume is probably a two way. This report doesn't break down import and export.

[maakhiri1]

I knew Turkey is scamming us.

 

[maakhiri1]

2 hours ago, Duufaan said:

We do not even export livestock anymore. No one wants to buy millions livestock when they can buy ready freezing meat from Australia, even cheaper per pound. 
As long as the business people can import everything unlimited there will be no export. Somali fish and banana are wanted but there are no quality company that make investment.  Everyone is for quick cash.

And also 100% vetted and tested.

Everyone is taking advantage of this poor nation, 

Atleast it is not Khat

[Duufaan]

China and UAE with billions import without giving anything back. At least the Turkey spent more than one billion to support Somalia, including 20 million cash to support  the government budget. The Turkey gave opportunity the Somali business people to export agriculture product. Somalis are busy investing Kenya.

[galbeedi]

On 2/8/2022 at 6:47 PM, maakhiri1 said:

I knew Turkey is scamming us.

Maakhiri1,

Who would have trained Somali soldiers by thousands with less than six years. mIllions of monthly budget support since 2012, medical facilities and scholaeship for Somali youth.? 

Only time will tell if the Turks are willing to import our goods, but first we have to clear Al-Shabaab from the most productive land of the country.THey did give as legs up, but the rest is up to us to negotiate and cut better deals. 

OUr biggest weakness is to love others without condtions and hate others without looking for our intrest.

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

Afkeena hodanka ah ilaalsano oo Carabtii iyo Reer Galbeedka ka ilaalino qaatir ka joognay, haddana tan...

Turkish language gaining popularity in Somalia

Experts claims that Turkish is fast becoming number 2 language in African country, as 100,000 Somalis are currently able to communicate in Turkish

The Turkish language is gaining in popularity in Somalia, a country in the Horn of Africa, as the two countries are cementing people-to-people relations that include promoting businesses, tourism, and student exchange programs.

Anadolu Agency spoke to Mustaf Mohamed Abdikarin, managing director of the SomTurk Institute of Languages in the capital Mogadishu, which has been offering special Turkish language courses to originally help Somali students to study in Turkiye.

Set up in Mogadishu's Hodan district by students who have studied in Turkiye, it has more than five batches of students learning Turkish.

"Our students are largely those who want to travel to Turkiye to study in Turkish universities. We help them to learn the language before they go there and so far, our students can learn perfectly," said Abdikarin.

He said about 135 people including 65 girls have registered to learn Turkish in his institute over the past month, adding that all of them are not students aspiring for admissions in Turkish universities.

“Some of them are businessmen, who want to communicate with their Turkish counterparts, and some them want to study, as the language has become important and popular here in Somalia,” he said.

Since 2018, when the school opened its doors, 300 people have completed their courses in the Turkish language.

"Some of our students who graduated are now working here in Mogadishu as interpreters since there is a good number of Turkish companies working in Mogadishu," said Abdikarin.

He said the female students do learn fast, as they are more dedicated and focused and most of them want to pursue courses in medicine in Turkiye.

Seeking better infrastructure

Pharmaceutical student Zahra Moalin Abdirahman, 20, told Anadolu Agency that she wants to compete with her friend, who is fluent in the Turkish language and watches Turkish films without the help of English subtitles.

Abdikarin said despite large requests from people who want to learn Turkish, he is not able to hire a fully furnished and large office for want of funds.

"As you can see now, we only have one computer and a printer and we are happy that we have. We were not thinking to ask for any help from anybody. But I believe some people will recognize the good job we are doing here. We don't have a lot of needs now but we would like to ask Turkish organizations to help us," he said.

Omar Abdi Jimale, lecturer of political science at Mogadishu University, said learning different languages was good as his religion Islam also encourages it.

Somali diaspora in Turkey a factor

Although there are no official statistics available, he claims that some 100,000 Somalis can communicate in Turkish are the number was steadily growing. He said it was because that Turkiye is hosting a large number of the Somali diaspora.

"Learning a foreign language is always a positive step, and learning the language of a country like Turkiye which has close economic, political, and military links with Somalia, is a very good step in the right direction," he said.

He said due to economic, educational, and cultural integration between Somalia and Turkiye, there is a lot of scope for opening more Turkish language schools in the country. He said that such private schools in Somalia can also promote the cultural integration of citizens of both countries.

"If all other factors remain constant, I believe the Turkish language will become the second most taught language in schools, surpassing Arabic, which is the country's second official language," he said.

Xigasho