Somalia, December 7, 2025 –Comparison of articles published in Daily Sabah and Nordic monitor A paper on the National Intelligence Academy’s report on Turkey-Somalia relations reveals a textbook example of how media discourses diverge when reacting to the same document.
While the first article treats the report as evidence of the success of Turkey’s involvement in Somalia, the second article takes it as evidence of the fragility of the environment in which Turkey operates and the dangers inherent in its expanding role. In this sense, intelligence reports have become raw material, and the real difference lies in how each news organization reshapes them to suit its political framework.
From the beginning, the identity of each media platform plays a decisive role in shaping the narrative. Daily Sabah, which is closely aligned with the Turkish government, consistently presents the Turkish government’s foreign policy in a positive tone, highlighting achievements and justifying Turkey’s growing presence in the Horn of Africa. Meanwhile, Nordic Monitor, a platform run by Turkish journalists and dissidents based in Europe, writes from a critical standpoint seeking to expose what it sees as shortcomings and risks in Turkish policies, especially those related to domestic political or economic motives. From the first moment, this comparison therefore becomes a confrontation of two opposing political narratives, rather than two analyzes of a single document.
In an article in Daily SabahSomalia appears to be a country that is making steady progress with significant support from Turkey in military training, infrastructure, education, health care, and humanitarian relief. The intelligence report is structured as a validation of successful partnership models. The existence of security, political, and economic risks merely serves as a backdrop that justifies and reinforces the need for Turkey’s continued involvement. The more complex the situation in Somalia, the more important Türkiye’s role appears to be. The weaker the state, the stronger the case for Turkey as a “solid partner.”
Nordic Monitor turns this narrative on its head. Somalia presents a highly vulnerable arena and requires careful interpretation. The five risks highlighted in the report – al-Shabaab, an unresolved federal system, weak state institutions, climate shocks, and geopolitical competition – are presented not as mundane challenges but as indicators of a high-risk environment for Turkey itself. The Turkish government’s involvement is portrayed as having political, economic and security implications that may not be fully calculated. The story brings up sensitive issues, including aid allegedly directed to companies close to Turkey’s leadership, drone transfers without UN approval, and significant concessions granted to Turkey in the energy deal.
Thus, while Daily Sabah gives Turkey a leading role in the “Somalia model rescue,” Nordic Monitor interprets the same role as an attempt to extend Turkey’s influence into strategically valuable regions with potential domestic political and economic interests. This intelligence report is no longer just about Somalia, but also a window into Turkey’s internal struggles over the meaning of foreign policy.
