Friday October 24, 2025
Ankara (HOL) - Somali
Embassy in Ankara and Turkey’s Ministry of Interior have held discussions on Thursday to
address the challenges faced by Somali nationals in obtaining residency permits
in the country.
Somali Ambassador to Turkey, Fathudiin Ali Mohamed Ospite,
met with Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya to explore ways to assist
Somali citizens in acquiring and renewing residency permits, with the aim of
finding both temporary and long-term solutions.
Ambassador Ospite thanked the minister for Turkey’s
continued support to the Federal Government of Somalia and the Somali people.
He emphasized that the relationship between the two nations is rooted in
brotherhood, cooperation, and mutual respect — a partnership that continues to
grow stronger each year.
The ambassador noted that the Somali Embassy has been
actively working in recent months to resolve residency issues affecting Somali
nationals in Turkey. He also commended the Somali Ministries of Foreign Affairs
and Security for their cooperation in gathering information and coordinating
diplomatic efforts to seek solutions.
For his part, Minister Yerlikaya pledged that the Turkish
government would work closely with the Somali Embassy to find a formal and
lasting resolution to the residency challenges faced by the Somali community.
In July 2025, Turkey suspended the issuance of new residency
permits to foreigners until further notice, except in cases involving health,
education, or international trade.
Turkey is currently home to about 5.4 million foreigners,
including 1.2 million residents in Istanbul — roughly 8 percent of the city’s
population. This figure includes more than 535,000 Syrian refugees.