Somalia has confirmed plans with Turkey to start deep-sea oil drilling along its extensive coastline starting in early 2025.

The initiative, confirmed by the Director General of the Somali Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Mohamed Hashi Abdi 'Arabey', follows a recent energy cooperation deal signed between the two nations.

The agreement, detailed by Turkey's Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, includes seismic operations and drilling near the Barawe and Hobbio districts, positioned approximately 200 km south and 500 km northeast of Mogadishu respectively. This move is expected to explore potential oil reserves identified along the Somali seaside.

This development comes after Somalia and Turkey's earlier signing of a marine and defence cooperation pact, which paved the way for the recent oil deal.

The deals are part of a broader strategy to enhance Somalia’s utilization of its hydrocarbon resources, with further details on revenue sharing anticipated to be discussed under a future Production Sharing Agreement (PSA).

The collaboration is seen as a significant step towards leveraging Somalia's unexploited natural resources for the benefit of its people, amidst renewed interest from international firms in the country’s oil potential.

This initiative also aims to strengthen Turkey’s strategic presence in the Horn of Africa, marking a pivotal moment in Somalia’s economic development.