ANKARA, (Sahan Post) – Somalia and Turkey on Tuesday officially began implementing a long-delayed agreement aimed at improving labour markets, worker protections, and social welfare systems in Somalia, a move officials say will directly benefit Somali workers and young jobseekers.
The agreement, first signed in 2016 but inactive for years, was formally launched in Ankara by Turkish Minister of Labour and Social Security Vedat Işıkhan and Somalia’s Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Prof. Salim Aliyoow Ibro, following its approval by Somalia’s Council of Ministers in July 2025.
Somali officials said the partnership will support reforms to labour laws, strengthen workplace safety standards, and improve labour inspection systems, areas that have long faced institutional gaps inside the country. Turkey will provide technical expertise and training to help build capacity within Somalia’s labour institutions.
A key focus of the 2026–2027 Action Plan is vocational training and skills development to address Somalia’s high youth unemployment, one of the country’s most pressing economic challenges.
The agreement also seeks to improve the delivery of social welfare services by strengthening the institutional capacity of the Somali Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, drawing on Turkey’s experience in social protection systems.
For the federal government in Mogadishu, the deal is seen as part of broader efforts to formalise the economy, create safer working conditions, and expand employment opportunities. For Turkey, it reinforces its long-term engagement with Somalia beyond security and infrastructure cooperation.
Sahan News Desk
info@sahanpost.com
Discover more from SahanPost - English
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.