Turkey-Africa alliance: Evolving patterns in security relations

ABSTRACT

Turkey has maintained its strategic relations with Africa at the highest level under recent AK Party governments in the field not only of low politics but also of high politics. For example, it opened its largest overseas military base in Somalia in 2017 and signed military, defense and security pacts with more than 25 African countries. This article traces the deep historical and cultural relations with Africa behind its newly evolving foreign policy identity, arguing that its booming economic power has been a significant driving force in shaping a new security strategy. It examines what the growing security involvement means for both Turkey and Africa in order to contribute to the relevant literature through a holistic approach from both theoretical and conceptual perspectives.

KEYWORDS:

• Turkey
• Africa
• security
• Turkish foreign policy
• Turkey-Africa security relations
• international relations theory

Notes on contributor

Abdurrahim Sıradağ graduated from the department of international relations, Sakarya University, Turkey in 2006. He received his MA degree from the department of politics and international relations, University of Johannesburg, South Africa in 2009. He obtained his PhD degree from the Institute of Political Science, Leiden University, the Netherlands in 2012. He worked as a lecturer at the department of international relations, International University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2011 to 2016. He has been currently working as an assistant professor in the Department of General Studies at the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), teaching international relations and globalisation courses.

He has published articles in different academic journals including Insight on Africa, Insight Turkey, Africa Insight, African and Eurasian Studies, Journal of Academic Inquires, Eurasian Studies Journal, Epiphany: Journal of Transdisciplinary Studies, Inquiry – Sarajevo Journal of Social Sciences and Middle Eastern Analysis. He has also published five book chapters. His interests include Turkish foreign policy, African politics, Gulf-Turkey and Gulf-Africa relations.

Notes

1. Siradag, ‘The Making of the New Turkish Foreign and Security Policy towards Africa’, 15–8.

2. Anadolu Agency, Erdogan.

3. TRT Haber, Afrika ile Dış Ticaret Hacmimiz Yaklaşık 20 Milyar Dolar.

4. Development Initiatives, Global Humanitarian Assistance Report 2017.

5. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, Turkey-Africa Relations.

6. Those countries which have defense and security deals with Turkey are Tunisia, Libya, Algeria, Benin, Gabon, Gambia, Cote D’Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal, Chad, Mali, Congo, Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Somalia, Djibouti, Uganda, Zambia, Sudan, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya, Madagascar.

7. Daily Sabah, Turkey Opens Biggest Overseas Military Base in Somalia.

8. Mearsheimer, Reckless States and Realism, 251–2.

9. Waltz, Man, the State and War, 160–5.

10. Ibid.

11. Sutch and Elias, The Basics, 61.

12. Burchill, The National Interest in International Relations Theory, 120–1.

13. Genest, Conflict and Cooperation, 124–8.

14. Wendt, ‘Anarchy is What States Make of It’, 398–9.

15. Jackson and Sorensen, Introduction to International Relations, 172.

16. Spanish Institute for Strategic Studies, The Evolution of the Concept of Security.

17. Baldwin, ‘The Concept of Security’, 13–7.

18. Ibid.

19. Ibid.

20. Davutoğlu, ‘Turkey's Foreign Policy Vision’, 78.

21. Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey Praised for Care Given to Syrian Refugees.

22. Bozdağlıoğlu, Turkish Foreign Policy and Turkish Identity, 46-50.

23. Aydın, ‘Securitization of History and Geography’, 165–70.

24. Davutoğlu, ‘Turkey's Foreign Policy Vision’, 78–79.

25. Bozdağlıoğlu, Turkish Foreign Policy and Turkish Identity, 125.

26. Cizre, ‘Demythologizing the National Security Concept’, 215–7.

27. Burke, Turkey Has A History of Military Coups.

28. Ataman, ‘Özalist Dış Politika’,, 52–3.

29. Ibid., 50.

30. Cizre and Çınar, ‘Turkey 2002’, 229.

31. Cizre, ‘Demythologizing the National Security Concept’, 215–8.

32. Davutoğlu, ‘Turkey's Foreign Policy Vision’, 77–9.

33. Ibid., 79–83.

34. Kavas, Osmanlı-Afrika İlişkileri, 2–20.

35. Hazar, Türkiye-Afrika İlişkileri, 234–7.

36. Özkan and Birol, ‘Turkey's Opening to Africa’, , 533.

37. Anadolu Agency, Well-Traveled Erdogan.

38. Hazar, Türkiye-Afrika İlişkileri, 234–7.

39. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, Turkey-Africa Relations.

40. Anadolu Agency, Erdogan.

41. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, 'Turkey-Africa Relations.

42. Ibid.

43. Siradag, ‘Benevolence or Selfishness’,11–5.

44. Development Initiatives, Global Humanitarian Assistance Report 2017.

45. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, Turkey-Africa Relations.

46. Siradag, ‘Turkish-Somali Relations’, 89–90.

47. Sucuoglu and Stearns, Turkey in Somalia, 21.

48. BBC, Somalia Famine.

49. Ibid.

50. Ozkan, Turkey's Involvement in Somalia, 11–5.

51. Erdogan, The Tears of Somalia.

52. Ali, ‘Turkey's Foray into Africa’, 72.

53. International Crisis Group, Assessing Turkey's Role in Somalia, Africa.

54. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, The Second Istanbul Conference on Somali.

55. International Crisis Group, Assessing Turkey's Role in Somalia, Africa.

56. Akpinar, ‘Turkey's Peacebuilding in Somalia’,, 740.

57. UN Peacekeeping, UN Peacekeeping Operations.

58. Ibid.

59. EU External Action, EU Military and Civilian Missions and Operations.

60. T.C. Başbakanlık Kamu Diplomasisi Koordinatörlüğü.

61. Ibid.

62. Milliyet, TCG Giresun Fırkateyni Yurda Döndü (TCG Giresun Firagate Returns to Home).

63. Ibid.

64. Reuters, Turkey Opens Military Base in Mogadishu to Train Somali Soldiers.

65. Sabah, Sevakin Adası'na Yapılacak İlk Proje Belli Oldu’!.

66. Ibid.

67. Those countries which have already sent their police officers and soldiers to Turkey are Tunisia, Libya, Senegal, Gambia, Cote D’Ivoire, Mali, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Somalia, Ethiopia, and Tanzania.

68. Anadolu Agency, Turkey Trained 877 Foreign Officers, Soldiers in 2017.

69. Ibid.

70. Gulf News, Turkey Announces $5m for Sahel Anti-Terrorist Force.

71. Altuntaş, ABD-Türkiye İlişkileri.

72. Milliyet, Savunmada Yerli Guc Hamlesi (Domestic Power Move in Defense).

73. Parti, AK Parti:, 60–3.

74. Davutoğlu, ‘Turkey's Foreign Policy Vision’, 78–9.

75. Cizre, ‘Demythologizing the National Security Concept’, 215–7.

76. Habertürk, AK Parti Döneminde Ordunun Etkisi Azaldı.

77. Ozkan and Orakci, ‘Turkey as a “Political” Actor in Africa – An Assessment of Turkish Involvement in Somalia’, , 348.

78. Hurriyet Daily News, Why Has the AKP Been So Successful?.

79. Bloomberght, Erdogan: Siginmacilar icin 32 Milyar Dolar Harcadik Erdoğan: Sığınmacılar için 32 Milyar Dolar Harcadık).

80. Lambert, Trump Escalates Feud with Turkey.

81. Ibid.

82. Orakçı, S., FETÖ ile Mücadelede Afrika Stratejisi (African Strategy for Combatting FETO).

83. Sabah, Maarif Vakfı FETO’nun Afrika’daki Lobi Gücünü Kırdı (Maarif Foundation broke FETO's Lobbying Power in Africa).

84. UHIM, Turkan, H. (editor), Yirminci Yüzyılda Soykırım ve Katliamlar, 81.

85. Inikori, The Slave Trade and the Atlantic Economies, 1451–1870, 57–58.

86. Ozkan, ‘What Drives Turkey's Involvement in Africa?’ , 538.

87. DunyaBulteni, Fransa, 14 Afrika Ülkesinden Sömürge Vergisi alıyor.