Turkey continues its relentless pursuit of developing its African relations, especially in the Sahel and Sahara region and the western part of the continent, with the aim of building multiple partnerships in order to achieve its strategic objectives that centre around finding a foothold in this strategic part of the continent and contributing to the re-engineering of the regional equation in the Sahel and Sahara. Naturally, this is done in light of the urgency of some issues that are intertwined in defining Turkey's relationship with the Arab world, Europe and Africa, such as the growing phenomenon of terrorism and terrorist organisations in the Sahel and West Africa, the continuing illegal migration crisis to Europe, as well as the scrambling of some European powers in the Sahel and Sahara, such as France and Germany, in addition to Turkey’s continuous attempts to influence the Libyan file with the aim of strengthening its influence in Libya and encircling the strategic interests of local, regional and international powers that are opposed to Turkey's negative role there.
There are strenuous efforts by the Turkish side to strengthen relations with some countries in the region and deepen relations with regional organisations through action at all levels, the employment of many of the effective tools necessary for this, and the signing of more cooperation agreements in various fields, specifically security agreements that allow Ankara to be present and open new markets to the Turkish military industries. This constitutes a threat to the strategic interests of many regional and international powers in the region, and affects the security equation in the region, especially with regard to the Libyan crisis due to the geopolitical overlaps between North Africa, the Sahel, the Sahara and West Africa.
Limits and dynamics of the Turkish moves in the region
Motives and causes of the Turkish expansion
Tools of the Turkish policy
Repercussions and risks of the Turkish presence in the region
The future of the Turkish presence
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[1] Horn Diplomat, Turkey officially opens embassy in Equatorial Guinea, 23 July 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/2Fw3PM1
[2] Valeria Talbot, Turkey’s Struggle for Influence in the Eastern Mediterranean, Italian Institute for International Political Studies, 17 July 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/3iMG93Y
[3] Ahval, Turkey’s military pact with Niger securing foothold in neighbouring Libya - The New Khalij, 26 July 2020, available at: https://bit.ly/3iBheAy
[4] Badr Hassan Shafei, “Turkey and the Security Dilemma in Africa”, Doha, Al Jazeera Center for Studies, 21 December 2015, p. 4.
[5] Nordic Monitor, Turkey seeks to improve defense industry cooperation with Sudan, 14 February 2020, Available at: https://bit.ly/3g89q7B
[6] Ayman Samir, “Turkish presence in Niger”, Alghad website, 29 June 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/2Y6H8Ey
[7] “Turkey announces $5m for Sahel anti-jihadist force”, France 24, 1 March 2018. Available at: https://www.france24.com/en/20180301-turkey-announces-5m-sahel-anti-jihadist-force
[8] European Centre for Counterterrorism and Intelligence Studies, “What is the truth about Turkey’s efforts to establish military bases in Libya and Africa?”, 26 June 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/2Ql6SZu
[9] Nordic Monitor, Support Islamists against ‘state terrorism’ in Mali, Nigeria, CAR, says ex-military advisor of Turkey’s president, 21 May 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/2E6phqh
[10] Nordic Monitor, Turkey appoints radical Islamist professor as ambassador to Senegal, 3 March 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/3gaMnt7
[11] Fabio Giuseppe Carlo Carisio, In Libya 229 ISIS Fierce Leaders with 4700 Turkish-backed Jihadists. UN Investigates, Europe Sleeps, Gospa News, 14 February 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/2FnhCo5
[12] “Al-Ifta Observatory, “The Turkish regime sent hundreds of terrorists to support and enhance the ranks of the Daesh Organization in the Sahel and the Sahara region”, Dar Al-Ifta Al-Missriyyah, Cairo, 10 July 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/2Y6EYVs
[13] Abdullah Bozkurt, Turkey’s Erdoğan enlists Tuaregs in his proxy battle, Nordic Monitor, 23 December 2019. Available at: https://bit.ly/347TujE
[14] Abdullah Bozkurt, Turkish Embassy spied on Nigerian school network, well-respected hospital, Nordic Monitor, 2 March 2019. Available at: https://bit.ly/2FxyiJn
[15] “Nigeria investigates smuggled arms shipments believed to be of Turkish origin”, France 24, 22 September 2017. Available at: https://bit.ly/2QgM2up
[16] European Centre for Counterterrorism and Intelligence Studies, op. cit.
[17] Majed Nehme, What in the world is Erdoğan doing in West Africa?, Ahval, 3 February 2020, available at: https://bit.ly/2PVcnOi
[18] European Centre for Counterterrorism and Intelligence Studies, op. cit.
[19] Jehad Odeh, “Turkish colonialism and the geopolitics of conflict in Niger”, Sada el-Balad website, Cairo, 31 July 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/341dB2I
[20] Majed Nehme, Ibid.
[21] En visite au senegal, le president turc confirm ses ambitions africaines, Le Monde, 29 January 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/2Q0JfFn
[22] Idem.
[23] Essahraa, “Towards enhancing cooperation between Mali and Turkey in the field of transport”. Available at: https://bit.ly/3kKd1MV
[24] European Centre for Counterterrorism and Intelligence Studies, op. cit.
[25] Dr. Alex Vines OBE, Challenged Ambitions: Turkey’s Africa Policy and the G20, Chatham House, 1 October 2015. Available at: https://bit.ly/2Y36YJq
[26] Steven A. Cook, Erdogan Is Libya’s Man Without a Plan, Foreign Policy, 9 July 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/30QcSzg
[27] Somaliland Sun, Turkey capable of destroying ‘evil alliances’ in E. Med, 12 August 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/3kJeJOk
[28] Habib Lassoued, “Erdogan aspires to establish the terrorism empire in Libya”, Afriganetnews portal, 2 June 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/2Y3YJwM
[29] The Arab Weekly, Erdogan moves to expand arc of influence in North Africa, Sahel, 4 March 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/3hg6YO1
[30] Thomas Seibert, Turkey Seeks to Expand its Reach throughout Africa, Somaliland Sun, 3 February 2020, available at: https://bit.ly/343ChYe
[31] Nordic Monitor, Albayrak Group’s scandals in Guinea lay bare shady ties to Turkey’s Erdogan, 22 September 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/31bPWLn
[32] Karam Saeed, “Establishing influence: motives of Turkey’s employment of foreign mercenaries in the Libyan crisis”, Future for Advanced Research and Studies (FARAS), 4 February 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/3h4dkzU
[33] David Lepeska, Beset by troubles, Turkey turns to Africa, Ahval, 7 February 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/311K1Iw
[34] Tony Chafer, Gorden D. Cumming, Is France a reluctant multilateralist in the Sahel?, The Africa Report, 10 August 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/31TIByU
[35] Somaliland Sun, Old acquaintances, new allies in new period of strategic Turkey-African political partnership, 2 January 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/3ano4qk
[36] Islam Abuelezz, “Post-statism: role of private security and intelligence companies in managing regional conflicts”, Early Warning Center (EWC), 7 February 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/30P2Caw
[37] “Turkey infiltrates into Mauritania through donations and investment projects”, Ahval News, 15 July 2019. Available at: https://bit.ly/2Q522zq
[38] Levent Kenez, South Africa’s ruling ANC signs MOU with Erdoğan’s Islamist party in Turkey, The Nordic Monitor, 27 August 2019. Available at: https://bit.ly/3h3bPSd
[39] Thomas Seibert, Turkey Seeks to Expand its Reach throughout Africa, Somaliland Sun, 3 February 2020, available at: https://bit.ly/343ChYe
[40] “Intensifying French-Turkish clash due to conflicting interests in Africa”, Rawabet Center for Research and Strategic Studies, 5 December 2019. Available at: https://bit.ly/2PVDPeL
[41] Fabio Giuseppe Carlo Carisio, Ibid.
[42] “African Sahel wars force the displacement of 1.7 million people”, skynewsarabia, 21 June 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/3iIJHUX
Ahmed Nadhif | 13 Feb 2021
EPC | 11 Feb 2021
Ahmed Nadhif | 07 Feb 2021