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
RFK Jr. says fewer flu shots for kids may be 'better.' What experts say. - 2The Best Web-based Courses for Ability Advancement
- 3What to know about MIT professor Nuno Loureiro and the investigation into his shooting
- 4Syrian army says recent drone attacks targeted its bases near Iraq, most shot down
- 5Meet the Artemis crew in NASA's first astronaut mission to the moon in more than a half-century
- An Extended time of Careful Nurturing: Individual Bits of knowledge on Bringing up Youngsters
- Vietnam rethinks its flood strategy as climate change drives storms and devastation
- Vote In favor of Your Favored Keeping an eye on
- Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey will reunite for 'Sunday in the Park With George'
- Figure out How to Improve Your Stream Voyage with Remarkable Trips and Exercises
- A Couple of Modest Guitars for 2024
- Dancing through the crackdown: The satirical song soundtracking post-Khamenei Iran
- Scientists are getting our robotic explorers ready to help send humans to Mars
- Sanofi to acquire hepatitis B vaccine maker Dynavax for $2.2 billion
