Source：Journal of International Relations, No. 5, 2024

Abstract: The signing of the ten - year Defense and Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement between Somalia and Turkey on February 8, 2024, has drawn international attention to the relationship between the two countries. Since the onset of the Somali famine in 2011, Turkey has been actively cultivated its relationship with Somalia through humanitarian aid, surpassing its assistance to other African countries. In terms of horizontal cooperation, the two sides have established stable and long - term cooperation in areas such as food, education, healthcare, economy, military security, and energy security. Vertically, the relationship between Turkey and Somalia has gradually shifted from donor - recipient to alliance, with both sides engaging in extensive cooperation to uphold Somalia ' s sovereignty, stability, and combat terrorism and piracy issues. This paper argues that Turkey views the development of its relationship with Somalia as an important practice of establishing South - South cooperation with African countries, and accelerates the deepening of South - South partnerships with African countries through Somalia as an entry point to broaden its diplomatic space. The development of Turkey ' s relations with Somalia exhibits certain characteristics, such as the combination of humanitarian aid with geopolitical interests, the engagement of governmental and non - governmental actors, and the formation of stable and long - term alliance through institutionalized means. However, Turkey ' s development of relations with Somalia still has certain limits and further complicates the situation in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region.

Keywords: Turkey - Somalia relations, Turkey - Africa relations, South - South cooperation