The chief of Türkiye's National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Ibrahim Kalın and Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud held a meeting in Mogadishu on Tuesday.

According to a statement by the Somali presidency, they discussed ways to further strengthen Türkiye-Somalia strategic cooperation in key areas of mutual interest, including security, intelligence, joint counter-terrorism efforts, and promoting regional stability.

Also present in the meeting was Abdullahi Mohamed Ali, chief of Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA).

Türkiye signed an oil and natural gas cooperation deal with Somalia in March.

In February, Türkiye signed a defense and economic cooperation agreement with Somalia and will provide maritime security support to help the African country defend its territorial waters.

Türkiye, a close ally of the Horn of Africa nation, has invested in its education, infrastructure and health, and given it extensive humanitarian aid.

Türkiye has its largest embassy in Africa in the Somali capital Mogadishu and also built its largest overseas military facility there to train the Somali national army.