The Turkish government has announced that it will no longer issue visas to Somali government civil servants holding service passports. The decision, which is set to take effect on July 18, 2024, was communicated through a letter from the Turkish Embassy in Mogadishu to the Somali Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Permanent Secretary of the Somali Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hamza Adan Hadow, released a statement on Sunday, confirming the directive from the Turkish authorities.
Hadow emphasized that all Somali ministries and government agencies have been informed of the change and are expected to relay the information to their respective staff members by diplomatic protocols.
This decision by the Turkish government comes as a surprise, given the growing strategic partnership and deepening ties between the two countries in recent years.
Somalia and Turkey have enjoyed a close and increasingly strengthened relationship since the early 2010s. Turkey’s engagement with Somalia began in 2011, when then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan (now the President of Turkey) visited Mogadishu during a severe famine in the country.
This visit was seen as a turning point, as it marked the beginning of Turkey’s robust involvement in Somalia’s reconstruction and development efforts.
Over the past decade, Turkey has emerged as one of Somalia’s most significant partners, providing humanitarian aid, infrastructure development, and security assistance.
Ankara has also played a crucial role in supporting the Somali government and its institutions, including the provision of training and equipment for the Somali National Army.
The growing bilateral ties between Somalia and Turkey have been further solidified through high-level visits, trade agreements, and the establishment of a Turkish military base in Mogadishu. Additionally, Turkey has been relatively more accommodating than other countries in issuing visas to Somali citizens, particularly for educational, medical, and professional purposes.
The latest directive by the Turkish government to halt visa issuance for Somali government officials holding service passports is likely to have significant implications for the bilateral relationship. This move could be perceived as a unilateral decision that may disrupt the flow of official communication and cooperation between the two countries.
Somali government officials who have relied on service passports for travel, particularly for official visits, diplomatic engagements, and professional development opportunities in Turkey, will now face additional challenges in obtaining the necessary visas. This could hamper the ability of the Somali government to effectively engage with its Turkish counterpart and participate in joint initiatives.
Moreover, the decision may be seen as a diplomatic setback, as it could be interpreted as a sign of deteriorating trust or a shift in Turkey’s strategic priorities in the region. This, in turn, could generate discussions and debates within the Somali political and diplomatic circles, as well as among the wider public, about the potential implications and the need for a diplomatic response to address the issue.
