Mohamed Abdulkadir’s Election Shows How Türkiye’s Influence Has Reached Somalia’s Highest Offices

MOGADISHU — The election of Mohamed Abdulkadir Mohamed as Speaker of Somalia’s Federal House of the People, whose term has expired, has once again drawn attention to Türkiye’s expanding influence over Somali politics and state institutions, at a time when the terms of the federal government institutions have expired.

Mohamed Abdulkadir, who previously held several positions in the federal government, has maintained close ties with Türkiye for many years.

Those ties began when the former Somali Ports Minister served as a senior official at Somalia’s embassy in Türkiye. There are unverified reports that he joined Turkish intelligence services while he was based in Ankara.

His election also comes at a time when relations between Ankara and Mogadishu have reached their highest level.

Before entering Somali politics, Mohamed Abdulkadir was a member of Al-Shabaab’s Amniyat security wing.

Türkiye plays a major role in Somalia’s military training, security, ports, infrastructure and energy projects.

Türkiye operates the TURKSOM military training facility in Mogadishu, where thousands of Somali soldiers and officers have been trained, some of whom later rose to senior positions within the country’s security forces.

According to a senior Villa Somalia official, Ankara also pressured President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to promote senior officers who had received military training in Türkiye.

If foreign military assistance begins to influence who rises through Somalia’s command structure, the issue is no longer simply one of capacity building. It raises serious questions about institutional independence and sovereign decision-making.

Turkish companies also manage key infrastructure in Mogadishu, while the two governments have in recent years signed agreements covering defence, maritime affairs and energy.

The election comes as Somalia remains deeply divided over the terms of federal institutions and the electoral process being pursued by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

Puntland, Jubaland and some opposition politicians have opposed the process, accusing Hassan Sheikh of an unlawful term extension while seeking to hold an election without political consensus.

Türkiye, one of Villa Somalia’s closest international partners, has shown no public concern over the expiration of the terms of Somalia’s federal government institutions, effectively ignoring the dispute over their expired mandates while Ankara continues its political, economic and security engagement with Hassan Sheikh’s administration.

The election for Speaker of Somalia’s House of the People, whose term has expired, involved the Turkish government directly, with senior Turkish officials sent to Mogadishu during the campaign for the position.

Mohamed Abdulkadir — described as having longstanding close ties with Ankara — has through his election once again highlighted how Türkiye’s influence in Somalia has moved beyond humanitarian assistance, development and military training to reach the highest levels of the country’s political leadership and government decision-making.

GAROWE ONLINE