Somalia’s Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Sheikh Mukhtar Robow Ali, met the head of Türkiye’s Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), Prof. Dr. Safi Arpaguş, in Ankara on Monday to discuss expanding cooperation on Islamic education, charitable endowments and religious institutions.
The meeting, held at Diyanet headquarters, focused on strengthening institutional ties, including Turkish support for the establishment and development of Somalia’s Zakat Fund and Waqf system.
The two sides also discussed jointly implementing projects to improve religious services and public awareness programmes.
According to Somalia’s Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Arpaguş welcomed the Somali delegation and said the meeting would help strengthen relations between the two institutions.
Robow congratulated Arpaguş on his recent appointment and wished him success in his new role.
Expanding cooperation
He also thanked the Turkish government and Diyanet for what he described as their continued support for Somalia, saying closer cooperation would help develop the country’s religious institutions and advance the ministry’s strategic plans.
Arpaguş reaffirmed Diyanet’s commitment to expanding cooperation and said it would continue supporting the ministry’s priority programmes.
The meeting was attended by Somalia’s ambassador to Türkiye, Fathudin Ali Mohamed, Diyanet vice-president Fatih Mehmet Karaca and Diyanet director general for foreign relations Ensari Yentürk.
The visit follows the Somali cabinet’s approval on July 30 of a draft legislation endorsing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Diyanet and Somalia’s ministry of endowments and Islamic affairs.
The agreement is intended to establish a formal framework for cooperation in religious affairs, Islamic education and institutional capacity-building.
Religious sector reforms
The discussions also come as Somalia pursues broader reforms of its religious sector. Authorities have announced plans to introduce mandatory academic qualifications and a national registration system for Islamic teachers and preachers. The measures are intended to professionalise religious education, strengthen oversight, counter extremist ideologies and improve the quality of religious instruction.
Türkiye has been one of Somalia’s closest international partners, supporting the country through development assistance, humanitarian programmes, security cooperation and institutional capacity-building.
Religious cooperation has become an increasingly important component of that relationship, particularly in Islamic education, charitable endowments and the administration of religious affairs.
