ISTANBUL (SONNA) — The Minister of Defense of the Federal Republic of Somalia, H.E. Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, conducted high-level bilateral negotiations with Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün, President of the Turkish Defense Industry Agency (SSB). The executive meeting took place in Istanbul during the SAHA EXPO 2026 defense and aerospace exhibition. This engagement represents a direct escalation of the strategic security partnership between Mogadishu and Ankara, focusing heavily on modernizing Somalia’s military architecture and expanding its defense capabilities.
During the summit, the two leaders evaluated immediate avenues for defense and security cooperation. The dialogue prioritized capacity-building initiatives and the exchange of strategic intelligence required to fortify Somalia’s national defense apparatus. By engaging directly with Turkey’s highest defense production authority, the Federal Government of Somalia is securing the advanced technological and logistical frameworks necessary to maintain sovereign territorial control and neutralize asymmetric threats across the Horn of Africa.
Advancing the procurement and technical support agenda, Minister Fiqi and his executive delegation executed a targeted site visit to the ASFAT exhibition center at the expo. ASFAT, a major state-owned defense contractor in Turkey, provided the Somali delegation with a comprehensive briefing on its latest military platforms, technical services, and defense solutions. The subsequent negotiations centered on identifying actionable areas of cooperation, specifically targeting technical support and the direct enhancement of operational capabilities for the Somali National Armed Forces.
