Turkey and Somalia have been in talks regarding the construction of a missile and space rocket testing facility in the Horn of Africa, Bloomberg reports.
Sources who pled anonymity due to the sensitivity of the topic said that Turkey’s ballistic missile program necessitates long-range testing, and Somalia’s strategic location at Africa’s eastern tip provides an optimal position for launches over the Indian Ocean.
According to the sources, Somalia’s closeness to the equator makes it an excellent candidate for a spaceport, as launches near the equator can improve the range and effectiveness of space rockets.
Turkey has been preparing for a rocket launch for several years and has expressed a desire to participate in the global space race, which is traditionally dominated by major powers.
It is reported that the potential rocket launch may take place from Somalia, and Turkish officials are reportedly hopeful that Somalia will approve their request. However, the Turkish defence ministry has declined to comment on the matter.
Hussein Sheikh-Ali, the national security adviser to Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and Abdi Ahmed Koshin, chairman of Somalia’s parliamentary sub-committee on defence, declined to comment on the issue when contacted by phone.
Turkey has been actively working to increase the range of its domestically-produced Tayfun missiles, which President Erdogan revealed in 2022 to have a range of approximately 560 kilometres (350 miles). Establishing a potential missile launch site in Somalia could mitigate the risks associated with debris falling over residential areas or neighbouring countries.
Despite years of conflict, Somalia is seeking to rebuild, and Turkey is one of the few foreign nations deepening its ties. Over the past decade, Turkey has bolstered its presence in Somalia through defence cooperation, infrastructure projects, and plans for hydrocarbon exploration, as well as involvement in mediating between Somalia’s government and Somaliland, a semi-autonomous region.