Somalia Distances Itself from Ex-Speaker’s Northern Cyprus Post, Reviving Questions Over Turkish Influence

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement clearly distancing itself from a post on X by Abdulqadir Mohamed Nour, the former Speaker of Parliament whose term has ended, in which he thanked the spokesperson of Northern Cyprus’s parliament for congratulating him on his election.

The statement came after Garowe Online revealed Abdulqadir’s post, which put the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under pressure to clarify its position on the move by the former Minister of Ports.

In his post, Abdulqadir addressed Ziya Öztürkler as “the Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic of Turkish Northern Cyprus,” thanking him for his congratulations. The post was later removed from his X account, according to Cypriot media reports.

The matter has taken on diplomatic sensitivity, since Türkiye is the only country that recognizes Northern Cyprus, while the United Nations and the international community recognize the Republic of Cyprus. The UN Security Council, in Resolutions 541 (1983) and 550 (1984), rejected recognition of the separate administration in the north of the island.

Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Somalia’s position on the Cyprus issue has not changed, and that Somalia respects the “independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity” of the Republic of Cyprus.

The Ministry specifically described Abdulqadir’s post as a “personal statement,” clarifying that it does not represent Somalia’s foreign policy.

“That post was not an act of recognition of any entity or separate administration in northern Cyprus,” the statement said, adding that there has been no decision by Somalia to change its longstanding position.

Abdulqadir and Türkiye

The Cyprus controversy has redirected attention to Abdulqadir Mohamed Nour’s long-standing relationship with Türkiye and Ankara’s role in his political career.

Abdulqadir received his higher education in Türkiye, studying political science and international relations at Ankara University, and speaks Turkish fluently.

He also spent years at Somalia’s embassy in Ankara, starting as second secretary before becoming first secretary, and later holding senior diplomatic posts at the embassy.

Upon returning to Somalia, he quickly rose through some of the government’s most powerful institutions, holding positions at NISA, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Defense, and the Ministry of Ports and Marine Transport.

His long relationship with Ankara, his fluency in Turkish, and the key positions he has held in Somalia have made Abdulqadir one of the Somali politicians most closely associated with Türkiye. Critics of Ankara’s influence in Somalia describe him as one of the most important figures in Türkiye’s influence over Somali politics.

His Northern Cyprus post has now cast new light on this. His use of the term “Republic of Turkish Northern Cyprus” — a designation recognized only by Türkiye — has raised questions about whether his relationship with Ankara has moved beyond ordinary political and diplomatic ties.

The matter has also revived concerns about the scope of Türkiye’s influence in Somalia. Ankara’s engagement with Somalia began with extensive humanitarian aid during the 2011 famine, but the relationship between the two countries has since expanded into defense, military training, economy, ports, infrastructure, health, and other strategic areas.

Abdulqadir was part of key stages in that relationship. As Defense Minister, he played a role on Somalia’s side in the defense and economic cooperation agreement between Somalia and Türkiye signed in Ankara in February 2024.

As such, his Northern Cyprus post was seen as more than just a politician’s reply to a congratulatory message. It reignited long-standing suspicion and debate in Somalia over Abdulqadir’s close ties to Türkiye, and the larger question of how far Ankara’s influence extends over Somali government policy and decisions.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ statement ultimately drew a clear line between the two positions: that of Abdulqadir Mohamed Nour, which the Ministry labeled a “personal statement,” and Somalia’s official policy, which still recognizes the independence, unity, and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

GAROWE ONLINE