Thursday October 24, 2024
Mogadishu (HOL) — A Turkish delegation led by Deputy Defence Minister Musa Heybet arrived in Mogadishu on Thursday to oversee the arrival of a Turkish vessel set to conduct seismic surveys for oil and natural gas exploration off the Somali coast.
The delegation was welcomed at Mogadishu airport by Somali Minister of Petroleum and Minerals Abdirisaq Omar Mohamed, along with other government officials.
Somali Ambassador to Turkey, Fathudin Ospite, has also arrived for the welcoming ceremony for the Turkish vessel, which is scheduled to take place at Mogadishu seaport in the coming days.
The seismic survey will be carried out by the Turkish research ship Oruc Reis, which has been a key asset for Turkey since 2017.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in a statement on X (formerly Twitter), confirmed that the vessel would now perform seismic activities across three licensed areas off the Somali coast, each spanning 5,000 square kilometers (1,930 square miles).
Erdogan expressed optimism, stating that the region, long associated with conflict, "will now be recognized for economic development, prosperity, and peace following the Oruc Reis' discoveries."
This operation is part of an agreement signed in March between Turkey's Energy and Natural Resources Ministry and Somalia's Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ministry.
Minister Abdirisaq Omar Mohamed conveyed his condolences to Deputy Minister Heybet for the Turkish citizens who lost their lives in a recent attack in Ankara.
"The government and the people of Somalia fully share with Turkey the pain and sorrow caused by the attack," said Minister Abdirisaq Omar.
The attack on Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS) headquarters, located on the outskirts of Ankara, resulted in the deaths of at least five people, with 22 others injured. Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed that two attackers were killed during the incident.