# Overlapping roles at Mogadishu Port as of April 2024

> A Wardheer News report dated 2024-04-28 described overlapping security and commercial roles at Mogadishu Port, but does not establish what has happened since.

- By: Editorial Team, Somali Construction Review (https://somaliconstructionreview.com/about)
- Published: 30 September 2026
- Format: News story (reported from one named public source)
- Publication: Somali Construction Review (https://somaliconstructionreview.com)
- Subject: Infrastructure and Services
- Tags: ports, utilities, procurement
- Web version: https://somaliconstructionreview.com/blog/overlapping-roles-mogadishu-port-april-2024

## Key points

- A Wardheer News report dated 2024-04-28 described overlapping security and commercial roles held by Turkey and ATMIS at Mogadishu Port.
- The report cited ATMIS officers saying they will not cede port security yet, even as Turkey collects revenue and provides naval support under a 2024 agreement.
- The report does not establish what has happened since its publication regarding port control or security handover.

On 28 April 2024, Wardheer News reported that African Union peacekeepers in Somalia said they would not cede security of Mogadishu Port, even as they handed over other responsibilities to the Somali National Army. The report described the port as strategic for both the government and the AU force, serving as the main supply route and alternative exit in emergencies, while remaining a high Al Shabaab target.

According to the report, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) maintained the only Forward Operating Base within Mogadishu at the port. Its Ugandan contingent was responsible for security at the main control point and towers, while Somali forces secured entry points for ships, containers and stores. Turkish and Somali intelligence personnel played complementary roles within the port.

The report, sourced from ATMIS officers, said Turkish firm Albayrak Group had operated and managed the port since 2014, with a concession renewed in 2020 for another 14 years. Under the deal, Albayrak collected revenue to be shared with the Somali Treasury on a 45-55 percent split, though the report did not specify which party received which share.

Following a defence and economic agreement between Somalia and Turkey signed on 2024-04-23, a Turkish Navy ship, TCG Kinaliada F514, docked at Mogadishu Sea Port. ATMIS's Uganda contingent spokesperson was quoted as saying that Turks had taken over the port, collected revenue and offered naval security support, but that this did not diminish ATMIS's role to secure the facility.

The Wardheer News report does not establish what has happened since its publication on 28 April 2024. It does not confirm whether ATMIS has ceded any security responsibilities at the port, whether the Turkish naval presence has translated into operational maritime security support, or whether the security and management arrangements have changed.

## Questions

### What are Turkey's and ATMIS's respective stakes in Mogadishu Port?

According to the Wardheer News report of 28 April 2024, Turkey's Albayrak Group has operated the port since 2014 under a concession renewed in 2020 for 14 years, collecting revenue with a 45-55% split with the Somali Treasury. ATMIS provides security through a Forward Operating Base, with its forces manning main control points and towers.

### How does this competition affect port operations and expansion plans?

The report cited critics saying there were too many players with language disparities and divergent interests which often clashed. It also noted that Al Shabaab had attempted to exploit disharmony among security layers to smuggle supplies.

### What are the implications for Somalia's control over its own infrastructure?

The report indicated that Somali forces were directly in charge of security at the main entry for ships, containers and stores, while ATMIS manned the main control point and towers. Turkish and Somali intelligence personnel played complementary roles. It does not establish long-term implications.

## Sources

- [Why Turkey, Atmis jostle for control of Mogadishu Port](https://wardheernews.com/why-turkey-atmis-jostle-for-control-of-mogadishu-port/) — Wardheer News, 2024-04-28