Turkey’s global governance strategies at the UN compared to the BRICS (2008–2014): clarifying the motivation–contribution nexus

Abstract

This study attempts to analyse Turkey’s contribution to the United Nations (UN) system in comparison with those of the Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) countries between 2008 and 2014 on three levels: personnel, financial, ideational. Employing an integrated methodology of a global governance contribution index (GGCI) and statistical analysis of complementary raw data, this study empirically reveals the degree to which Turkey was able to transfer its capabilities into an effective contribution to the UN system on the three levels. Drawing on the findings of its quantitative analysis, this paper further qualitatively assesses the reasons behind the gap between Turkey’s global governance motivations and its contribution to the UN system. In doing so, this study, first, deals with the main motivational drivers of its activism in global governance in the 2000s. After unpacking its integrated methodology, the second part of this study quantitatively compares Turkey’s contribution to the UN system to that of the BRICS. The third part of this study delves into the main trends and deficiencies in Turkey’s contribution to the UN system. Finally, this study concludes that Turkey, despite its high motivations for activism in global governance, has not performed well in transferring its capacities into contributions to the UN system, particularly on financial and personnel levels.

Keywords:

• Turkish foreign policy
• BRICS
• rising powers
• United Nations
• global governance contribution

Notes

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3. Stuenkel, “The BRICS: Seeking Privileges,” 39.

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5. Oğuzlu and Parlar Dal, “Decoding Turkey’s Rise: An Introduction,” 620.

6. Öniş and Kutlay, “Dynamics of Emerging Middle-Power Influence,” 1411–14.

7. Kurşun and Parlar Dal, “Analysis of Turkey’s and BRICS’ Voting Cohesion.”

8. Kardaş, “Turkey: A Regional Power,” 640.

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15. Keukeleire and Hooijmaaijers, “BRICS and Other Emerging Power Alliances.”

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17. Pattberg et al., “Mapping and Measuring Fragmentation,” 5.

18. The data used in GGCI calculations is collected from the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination database, financial statistics section (http://bit.ly/2oqAND7) and the complementary raw data was collected from the reports of the UN agencies, funds, and programmes.

19. See the original methodological explanation in Wang and French, “Middle Range Powers in Global Governance,” 987–989.

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30. Sever and Oguz Gök, “The UN Factor,” 10.

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33. Kardaş, “Turkey: A Regional Power,” 651.

34. Brutsch and Papa, “Deconstructing the BRICS.”

35. Mohan and Kapur, “Emerging Powers and Global Governance,” 26.

36. Kahler, “Rising Powers and Global Governance,” 721.

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38. Kahler, “Rising Powers and Global Governance,” 723.

39. White House Office of Management and Budget, “America First: A Budget Blueprint,” 33–34.