HARARE, August 27. /TASS/. Somalia is preparing to launch the first satellite from its territory, a Turkish-owned spacecraft, the Somali Guardian newspaper reported, citing Turkish Ambassador to Mogadishu Alper Aktas.

The milestone is part of a growing partnership between Somalia and Turkey, which includes constructing a spaceport and advancing other high-tech projects in the country.

Aktas also revealed that Turkish companies are going to begin oil production on Somalia’s offshore shelf following seismic surveys and test drilling.

In recent years, Turkey has played an increasingly prominent role in Somalia’s development. Ankara provides humanitarian aid, invests heavily in infrastructure, and has deployed instructors to train Somalia’s security forces, also assisting in the fight against the Al-Shabaab militant group.