Somalia and its ally Turkey are looking to boost maritime cooperation after officials of the two countries met on Monday.

Somalia's ports and maritime transport minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur on Monday held talks with the Turkish defense minister Yasar Guler in a meeting in Ankara, which was generally aimed at setting the foundation for improved cooperation on several fronts including maritime security and trade.

No official statement of the meeting has emerged since the meeting but both officials are repotedly gingered up about close relations leading to improved collaboration in various spheres of mutual concern.

Analysts say the timing of the meeting appears telling as Somalia moves to strengthen security on its maritime boundaries following neighbouring Ethiopia's controversial deal with the Somali enclave of Somaliland last year.

The deal decried by Somalia as an affront on its territorial sovereignty, was to provide landlocked Ethiopia unfettered access to a 20 km coastline both for commercial and naval use.

In exchange Ethiopia would have recognised Somaliland as an independent state.

WN/as/APA