Since the post-9/11 era, Somalia has transformed into a key arena for geopolitical competition between Gulf powers and other emerging players. While the US and its Western allies have scaled back their assertive foreign policy, countries such as Qatar, Turkey, and the UAE have stepped in, leveraging financial and political influence to secure their interests. Turkey’s 2011 humanitarian entry, Qatar’s financial backing of Somali leaders, and the UAE’s training of Somali security forces reflect a shift from purely aid-driven engagement to transactional politics.