MOGADISHU (SD) – A confidential agreement between the Federal Government of Somalia and Turkey has surfaced, revealing alarming clauses after being obtained by the international monitoring network Nordic Monitor. The agreement, reportedly signed last year, contains provisions indicating that Somalia would significantly lose out on potential benefits from its offshore oil and gas resources.

Key Revelations:

• Resource Exploitation Terms: Reports indicate Somalia’s maritime oil reserves are estimated at 30 billion barrels and natural gas at 6 trillion cubic meters, according to the agreement. However, in a shocking arrangement, Turkey would receive 90% of the profits from extraction and production, while Somalia gets only 5%—a grossly disproportionate share given the scale of the resources.

Controversial Clauses Include:

1. Exclusive Export Rights: Turkey holds sole authority to export Somalia’s oil, with the Somali government having no say in commercial decisions regarding its own natural resources.
2. Dispute Resolution: Any legal disputes must be handled by a court in Istanbul, with Somalia barred from pursuing cases in its own national courts.
3. Security Control: Turkish forces will be responsible for securing oil sites, excluding Somali forces from potential job opportunities in safeguarding their own resources.

Lack of Transparency:

The agreement was reportedly approved by members of Somalia’s Parliament without proper scrutiny of its terms, which are now being exposed to the public for the first time.

Growing Concerns:

This deal raises serious questions about Somalia’s sovereignty, fair exploitation of natural resources, and the government’s commitment to protecting its citizens’ interests.

Expected Fallout:

The revelations are likely to trigger intense debate domestically and internationally, with increasing demands for a reexamination of the agreement to ensure fairness and full transparency.

The situation remains volatile as calls grow for accountability and a renegotiation of terms that truly benefit the Somali people.