Turkey is pushing for diplomatic and economic influence on the world stage – not least in Africa, where it announced plans this week to search for oil and gas off Somalia.
Over President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s two decades in power, Ankara has consolidated its foothold on the continent, quadrupling its number of embassies there.
Here are five of Turkey’s diplomatic and economic interests and strategies in Africa:
‘Alternative to the West’
At a time when many African countries are turning away from their former colonial rulers, Turkey has looked to fill the void left behind.
“Erdogan presents himself as an alternative to the West,” said Selin Gucum, author of a study on Turkish interests in Africa for Paris’s Observatory of Contemporary Turkey.
Gucum told AFP that Ankara often emphasizes the “sincerity” of its presence on the continent compared to that of Europeans, who bear the legacy of colonialism.
Defense and Security
Turkey has signed defense agreements with a number of states spanning the breadth of the continent.
Those agreements have opened up contracts for Turkey’s defense manufacturers, notably for its reputedly reliable and inexpensive drones.
Turkish drones have been recently delivered to Chad, Togo and the junta-led trio of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
Fossil Fuels and Nuclear
Turkey is also expanding its interests in Africa’s energy sector.
In September or October, it plans to launch an oil and gas exploration mission off the coast of Somalia, similar to the one it is carrying out in Libyan waters.
Ankara is also said to be coveting Niger’s abundant uranium deposits, which it needs to operate its future Russian-built Akkuyu nuclear power station.
Infrastructure and Construction
Ankara is generally seen as a “reliable partner in the construction and infrastructure sectors,” said Didier Billion, Turkey specialist at the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs.
When Turkish companies build big-ticket projects like hospitals, airports or mosques, “deadlines and budgets are met,” he added.
That reputation means more demand: in 2023, Turkish contractors were involved in $85.5 billion worth of projects, according to the trade ministry.
Religion, Schools and Television
Turkey has accumulated soft power through education, the media and its shared religion with Africa’s many Muslim countries.
The religious Turkish Maarif Foundation has expanded to a network of 140 schools and institutions catering for 17,000 pupils, while 60,000 Africans are students in Turkey.
Ankara’s powerful Directorate of Religious Affairs has stepped up its humanitarian activities and support for mosques and religious education across the region.
The first Turkish television channel on the continent, NRT, boasts on its website that it serves 49 African countries.
Public broadcaster TRT also has programs in French, English, Swahili and Hausa.
Anne Chaon with AFP
