Somalia says it is ready to begin its first offshore oil drilling operations, with a Turkish government-owned drilling ship expected to arrive off its coast on Friday.
The move follows the successful completion of seismic surveys last year by a Turkish research vessel.
In a post on X, Somalia's Petroleum Minister Dahir Shire described the move toward what would be the country's first offshore drilling as a "historic milestone in our offshore energy journey... A new chapter begins."
The foreign ministry said if the drilling were to be successful, it would unlock offshore oil reserves and support the country's economic recovery as a regional energy player.
The Turkish Petroleum Corporation's drilling ship, Çağrı Bey, is on its first international mission, heading into Somalia's territorial waters in the Arabian Sea.
It will carry out deep water drilling at sites identified by recent surveys that mapped the country's hydrocarbon potential.
"This signals Somalia's readiness to move into exploratory drilling, beginning with our most promising offshore prospects," Shire said.
He added that the country would ensure that the benefits of the oil drilling leads to national prosperity and improves the well-being of the people.
Turkey and Somalia formalised their cooperation in 2024 through a production-sharing agreement.
On Monday, Somali Foreign Minister Ali Omar said the oil drilling campaign would reinforce Turkey's role as a "trusted long-term partner" in development.
Speaking on Saturday ahead of his planned travel to Somalia, Turkey's Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said any discovery of oil or gas reserves would bring significant economic benefits to Somalia, East Africa and Turkey.
Ankara has been deepening its ties with Somalia and has invested in the country for more than a decade. It has also expanded its military presence there in recent years, where it already operates a major base built in 2017.
Researchers estimate the country holds billions of barrels of oil reserves, but exploration has been hampered by decades of conflict and political instability.
More BBC stories on Somalia:
Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.
Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
BBC Africa podcasts
LATEST POSTS
- 1
Recalled Super Greens diet supplement powder sickens 45 with salmonella - 2Germany sees third consecutive diesel price record after rule change
- 3Excelling at Discussion: Genuine Examples of overcoming adversity
- 4Figure out How to Amplify Innovation and Infotainment Frameworks for Senior Drivers in SUVs
- 5The Fragrant Small Tree Birds & Pollinators Love With Stunning Flowers In Summer
- NASA loses contact with its Maven spacecraft orbiting Mars for the past decade
- Coffee Prices Finish Higher on Brazil Cop Concerns
- The Benefits of Rehearsing Careful Nurturing
- U.K. blocks Kanye West from entering Britain to headline now canceled festival: What led to the ban
- Old age isn’t a modern phenomenon – many people lived long enough to grow old in the olden days, too
- Who is behind Al-Majd, the Israeli-linked evacuation group sending Gazans to South Africa?
- Step by step instructions to Pick the Right Sunlight powered charger Type for Your Home
- Trump signs a law returning whole milk to school lunches
- Physicists and philosophers have long struggled to understand the nature of time: Here's why
