Istanbul, Turkey – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has delivered a powerful speech during an international forum, subtly criticizing countries that have received long-term support from Turkey but have yet to achieve full political and administrative control.
Using Azerbaijan and Libya as examples, Erdogan praised their strategic use of Turkish assistance and their subsequent achievements.
“When you look at Azerbaijan, they clearly understood the help they needed from Ankara and what was expected of them. Eventually, they reached success. Today, Libya is on a path to self-governance, even without Turkey,” Erdogan stated.
The president’s remarks were part of a broader commentary on Turkey’s global aid efforts, especially toward Muslim nations and conflict-affected states.
He further noted: “Some countries are still struggling. Turkey has stood by them for decades, yet they have not found the path to take full control of their power.”
Although Somalia was not mentioned directly, the statement is widely interpreted as a subtle reference to the Horn of Africa nation, where Turkey has played a major role in military training, healthcare, infrastructure development, and diplomatic support.
Erdogan’s comments come at a time when Turkey’s support for Somalia remains strong, but questions continue to arise about the effectiveness of that support and the Somali government’s ability to capitalize on it and build a fully functioning state.