Hassan Deri

Lawyer. Somali-Swede and world citizen. RTs not endorsement

[bhlub @thebhlub]

Russian geology professor:

"Somaliland lithium deposits are larger than Russia's".

An alarming clip of a Somalian man surveying lithium sites in Somaliland alongside a man introduced as his Russian geology professor.

Why is the government granting this level of access?

[Abdi Ismail Samatar @ProfAbdiSamatar]

Türkiye – Somalia:  A semi colonial relationship!

Five years ago, I wrote an opinion piece about the evolving relationship between Somalia and Türkiye. The essay pointed out the imbalance in the relationship and warned that the structure of the relationship did not bode well for Somalia and Somalis. Tragically, developments since then have vindicated the prognosis the essay made.

Our country is increasingly becoming a fiefdom for Türkiye interest and the derelict regime in Mogadishu behaves like a Bantustan.

https://t.co/T0vpY6Z5a5

[MP Dr Abdillahi Hashi Abib @MPDrAbib]

Sovereignty or Surrender? Inside the Somalia–Türkiye Oil Deal

The statement by the State Minister Ali Mohamed Omar presents an optimistic narrative, but it does not withstand legal, economic, or factual scrutiny.

First, describing this agreement as a pathway to “resource-led growth” ignores the actual fiscal structure of the deal, which - based on its own provisions - allows for extreme cost recovery (up to 90%) and minimal royalty returns (around 5%). Under such terms, Somalia does not meaningfully benefit in the early or even medium term. In global petroleum practice, this is not a development model - it is a revenue deferral mechanism that prioritizes the investor at the expense of the resource owner.

Second, the claim that this agreement strengthens Somalia’s economic future is contradicted by the absence of competitive bidding, which is a core requirement under the Somali Petroleum Law (2020) and international transparency standards such as EITI. By granting privileged access to a single foreign state-linked entity, Somalia has effectively undervalued its own natural resources, potentially forfeiting billions in future revenue.

Third, the assertion that Türkiye is acting as a “trusted long-term partner” must be measured against the legal asymmetry embedded in the agreement. Under Article 9, Somalia grants irrevocable consent to international arbitration (ICSID), while Article 12 explicitly allows the agreement to override domestic law. No serious sovereign state can claim to be advancing its national interest while accepting a framework that subordinates its own legal system to an external agreement.

Fourth, the geopolitical framing is incomplete and potentially misleading. The agreement creates a structure whereby the Turkish-designated entity can bring in third-party contractors and partners, with insufficient safeguards requiring Somali parliamentary approval or transparent oversight. This opens the door to external actors - state or private - entering Somalia’s most strategic sector without full sovereign control.

Fifth, and most critically, the suggestion that this agreement represents a turning point for Somalia ignores its long-term sovereignty implications. Stabilization clauses restrict Somalia’s ability to change its laws without financial penalty, while dispute resolution mechanisms are anchored outside Somalia, with arbitration seated in Istanbul. These are not neutral provisions - they lock Somalia into a legal and economic framework it cannot easily reform or exit.

Let us be honest - This is not a standard production-sharing agreement aligned with international best practice. It is a structurally imbalanced arrangement that:
•Delays and diminishes Somalia’s economic returns
•Weakens parliamentary and constitutional oversight
•Transfers disproportionate control to a foreign state-linked entity
•Exposes Somalia to significant legal and financial risk

If this project succeeds technically, the question is not whether oil will flow - the question is who truly benefits from it.

A deal that allows up to 90% cost recovery, minimizes state revenue, overrides domestic law, and limits sovereign control over national resources cannot credibly be described as a foundation for prosperity. It is, at best, a deeply flawed agreement, and at worst, a long-term concession of Somalia’s economic sovereignty.

https://t.co/yDB37kby89

@AliOmarMP
@UKinSomalia 
@HouseForeignGOP
@realDonaldTrump
@StateDept
@SpeakerJohnson
@susiewiles2024
@HassanSMohamud
@TheVillaSomalia
@HamzaAbdiBarr
@AadanMadobe
@SomaliainQatar
@MOFAKuwait
@UAEinSomalia
@ChineseSomalia
@KSAmofaEN
@US2SOMALIA
@EU_in_Somalia
@ItalyinSomalia
@UNSomalia
@TC_MogadisuBE
@UNDPSomalia
@WorldBankAfrica
@IMFAfrica
@CanHCKenya
@SwissEmbassyKE

[Harun Maruf @HarunMaruf]

Country: Somalia
Language: Somali
People:
- Singular: Somali
- Plural: Somalis

Example:
Somali President
President of Somalia
Somali government
Somali people
The Somali economy
He/She is Somali
They are Somalis
A group of Somalis
Somalis in the diaspora
He/She speaks Somali
They speak Somali

[Annika Strandhäll @strandhall]

Läsvärt av ⁦⁦@DSuhonen⁩
Liberalernas kris – Mohamsson verkar ljuga med öppna ögon https://t.co/6zwaAXzSEW

[Carl Bildt @carlbildt]

Strong words from 🇩🇪 Chancellor Merz on the necessity of 🇪🇺 taking strong steps to improve its economic competitiveness. The deliberations of 🇪🇺 leaders tomorrow should hopefully set firm directions.

[Carl Bildt @carlbildt]

And the @WhiteHouse has mixed up things. There are no penguins in the Arctic. They are in Antarctica. And 🇬🇱 is in the Arctic.

[Carl Bildt @carlbildt]

I fear that Europe has lost credibility in the Global South by its fairly confused and weak response to the 🇺🇸 intervention in 🇻🇪. It comes on top of its less than stellar performance over Gaza. https://t.co/NsiNMpN4mN

[Sen. Bernie Sanders @SenSanders]

My statement on President Trump’s actions in Venezuela.

[Horndiplomat @HornDiplomat]

The recognition of Repbulic of #Somaliland is a solution for all Somalis, because every Somali stands to benefit from it.

📷Rageh Oomaar.

[SvD Debatt @SvDDebatt]

Trots stora summor i bistånd lyser Sverige med sin frånvaro i Somalia och Somaliland. Istället kanaliseras de svenska pengarna via andra, vilket är en strategisk förlust, skriver debattören Hassan Deri.
https://t.co/yy2K35Fxw4

[Abdiwahab Sheikh Abdisamad @AbdiwahabSheik7]

Mr. President Trump, let me give you a brief but necessary history lesson.

The United States is about 240 years old, yet Somali civilization stretches back more than 2,000 years. Long before Christopher Columbus ever crossed the Atlantic, Somali cities were thriving centers of trade, culture, scholarship, and maritime power.

Mogadishu itself is over 550 years old older than the United States once standing as one of the great commercial hubs of the Indian Ocean world.

History shows that empires rise, fall, and change, but nations with deep roots endure.

Many Somalis believe that U.S. policies, together with those of its allies, have kept Somalia weak, divided, and unable to rebuild its full potential.

If you see that as exaggeration, then here is the simplest test: allow Somalis to rebuild with genuine freedom. Let Somalia choose its own partners China, Russia, Turkey and BRICS, or any nation it wishes without interference.

Give Somalis ten peaceful years of self-determination and watch them build cities as vibrant as New York ,Los Angeles Washington DC and many more.
And when that day arrives, we welcome you to visit and experience true Somali hospitality.

[Carl Bildt @carlbildt]

A distinct win for Putin 🇷🇺. He didn’t yield an inch. A distinct setback for Trump 🇺🇸. No ceasefire in sight. And no one knows where 🇺🇸 policy is heading in next weeks. What the world sees is a weak and wobbling America.

[Carl Bildt @carlbildt]

The 🇺🇸 disappeared from supporting 🇺🇦 when Trump took over, but so far 🇪🇺🇬🇧 has stepped up to the new challenge.

[Carl Bildt @carlbildt]

If Trump 🇺🇸 wants to hand Alaska or parts of it back to 🇷🇺 I guess he can do that. But he has no right whatsoever to trade away the territory of any other nation. None. https://t.co/ZBoo0DiXeO

[Carl Bildt @carlbildt]

Are we heading towards a Munich 2.0? In 1938 UK and France forced Czechoslovakia to hand over key territory to Hitler. The result? Within months Czechoslovakia ceased to exist, and within a further few months there was all out war in Europe.

[Carl Bildt @carlbildt]

Of course, Trump doesn’t only deserve the Nobel Peace Prize, but also the prize in economics because of his trade policies. This according to - you guess it! - his advisors. Flattery is the name of the game around there.

[Carl Bildt @carlbildt]

Carl Bildt: Why Europe is Split on Trump's Tariffs https://t.co/HDZJMAym3J via @ABCaustralia

[Carl Bildt @carlbildt]

”But the European Commission decision to withdraw its retaliatory tariffs was a mistake. It would have been better to keep the retaliatory measures… Instead of showing muscles against illegal tariffs, 🇪🇺 seemed weak.” ⁦@MalmstromEU⁩ https://t.co/yGXaeXqs47

[Omer Bartov عومر بَرتوف עמר ברטוב @bartov_omer]

Professor Bartov: Making Life Impossible in Gaza Is a Deliberate Strategy of Slow-Moving Genocide
https://t.co/tNtJc7LbOu