“Turkiye will ‍send a drilling vessel ​to Somalia in ‌February ​to carry out the country’s first deepwater exploration project abroad,” Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said ​on Wednesday (December 31, 2025).

He ⁠said the operation with the Cagri Bey ​vessel ⁠will focus on offshore areas in Somali waters, but ‌did not ‌provide details on targeted reserves or ‍investment size.

Somalia denounces Israeli recognition of Somaliland

In 2024, Turkiye signed ‍an energy exploration deal with Somalia. It has been seeking to diversify its energy sources ⁠and reduce reliance on imports, ​investing in exploration ⁠at home and overseas.