Ethiopia-Turkey Ties Strengthen

 Al-Monitor published on 18 August 2021 an article titled "Turkey Views Ties with Ethiopia as Key to Influence in Africa" by Fehim Tastekin.  

Ethiopia seeks Turkish support to offset Arab support for Egypt and Sudan on the dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and the ability to purchase drones from Turkey.  Turkey sees Ethiopia as a gateway to Sub-Saharan Africa and an ally in its differences with Egypt.

Turkey's Policy in Africa

The Center for Strategic and International Studies recently posted an analysis titled "Neo-Ottomanism: Turkey's Foreign Policy Approach to Africa" by Asya Akca.

The author concluded that part of Turkish President Erdogan's agenda is to turn Turkey into a global power, while also taking the country back to the glory days of the Ottoman Empire. By shutting down Gulen schools in almost 30 African countries, Erdogan sees himself as putting down possible threats to Turkey's global expansion efforts.

Turkey-Africa Economic Relations

The Journal of Sustainable Development Law and Policy, published by Nigeria's Afe Babalola University, contains a 2017 analysis titled "Economic Relations between Turkey and Africa: Challenges and Prospects" by Elem Eyrice Tepecikliogu, Yasar University in Turkey.

The study explores the evolution of Turkish-African relations and concentrates on Turkey's economic engagement in Africa. It analyzes recent Turkish initiatives in Africa's energy sector. It argues that although the low level of attention previously paid to Africa has changed, the pace of development of relations with Africa is still slow and suggests more steps should be taken to further improve relations with the continent.

Turkey in Africa

The Voice of America published on 7 November 2017 an article titled "Trade, Politics, Religion Draw Turkey to Sub-Saharan Africa" by Salem Solomon and Hilmi Hacaloglu.

The article, which draws on my comments, points out that Turkey has significantly expanded it ties with Sub-Saharan Africa in recent years. This initiative may not, however, extend beyond the Erdogan presidency, especially if there is a weakening in Turkey's economy.

Turkey's Venture into Africa

The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) published on 9 February 2017 a commentary titled "Sailing from Byzantium: Turkey's Venture into Africa" by Peter Fabricius, ISS consultant.

The article summarizes Turkey's outreach to Africa and concludes that the motives of its policy are not so clear.

Turkey and the Gulen Movement in Africa

Diplomatic Courier published on 3 October 2016 a commentary titled "Diplomatic Row over Gulen Influence in Africa" by Michelle DeFreese, consultant with the Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy in Tanzania.

The commentary offers an update on Turkey's AKP government efforts to shut down Gulen Movement activities in Africa.

Turkey-Africa Relations

On 31 October 2016 I gave remarks on Turkey-Africa Relations at the Africa Center for Strategic Studies in Arlington, Virginia. It is an overview of diplomatic, aid, trade, investment, military, civil society and security relations.

Evolution of Turkey-Africa Relations

The Rome-based Istituto Affari Internazionali published in August 2016 an analysis titled "Turkey's African Experience: From Venture to Normalisation" by Mehmet Ozkan, Turkish National Police Academy in Ankara.

The author states that Turkey's policy in Sub-Saharan Africa between 2005 and 2015 was transformed in such a way that it now constitutes one of the main focuses of Ankara's foreign policy. He argues that Turkey's foreign and development policy towards Africa has changed at ideational, societal and institutional levels.

Turkey Reaches Out to East Africa

World Politics Review published on 6 June 2016 my interview titled "Turkey Looks to Play Larger Economic and Security Role in East Africa."

The interview looks at key areas of cooperation, the objectives of President Erdogan's recent visit to East Africa, and how Turkey's outreach to East Africa compares with other countries.

Turkish President Erdogan Takes Anti-Gulen Movement Campaign to Africa

Reuters reported on 31 May 2016 that "Turkey Officially Designates Gulen Religious Group as Terrorists." This puts the supporters of Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen, who are also known as Hizmet or the Turkish word for service, in the same category as Kurdish militants who are fighting Turkey's army in the southeast part of the country. The government of Turkey provided no evidence of terrorist activity by the Gulen Movement other than it disagrees with some of the policies of the Erdogan government.

Reuters also published on 31 May 2016 an article titled "With Africa Trip, Turkey's Erdogan Aims to Quash Influence of Islamic Cleric" by Orhan Coskun and Tulay Karadeniz. President Erdogan has begun a visit to Kenya and Uganda, where he reportedly will encourage the governments of those countries to shut down schools affiliated with the Gulen Movement.

The Anadolu Agency published on 31 May 2016 an article titled "Cavusoglu: Turkey Sees Real, Reliable Partners in Africa" that reports on the visit to Rwanda by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. An extension of the visit to East Africa by President Erdogan, the foreign minister emphasized that Turkey has 39 embassies in Africa, Turkish Airlines has 38 destinations to Africa, and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency has opened 14 offices in Africa. There was no mention of the Gulen Movement.

For an update on "Hizmet in Africa" see my remarks at an international conference on Hizmet held in Sao Paulo, Brazil on 19 May 2016.

Turkey-Africa Relations

African Business published in April 2016 two articles on Turkey-Africa relations.  One is titled "Turkey Courts Africa for Diversification" by Neil Thompson and can be found on pages 46-47.  The second is titled "Turkey's Soft Power Play" by Neil Ford and can be found on pages 49-51.

Turkey-Africa Economic Relations

The International Business Times published on 16 December 2015 an article titled "Turkey-Africa Economic Relations: After Russian Sanctions, Turkish Businesses Eye African Markets to Offset Losses" by Michael Kaplan. 

The article suggests decreases in Russian-Turkish business may be made up to some extent by Turkey's expansion of commercial efforts in African markets.  I am quoted in the article. 

Turkey's Africa Policy

Chatham House published on 1 October 2015 a commentary titled "Challenged Ambitions: Turkey's Africa Policy and the G20" by Alex Vines, head of the Africa program at Chatham House. 

Vines concludes that even if Turkey does not develop into a major bilateral player in Africa, it seems certain that it will continue to grow as a major international hub for Africans and also a launch pad for further Turkish commercial engagement in Africa. 

Interview with Turkish Newspaper on Hizmet in Africa

Sunday's Zaman, a Turkish paper associated with the Gulen Movement, published on 19 September 2015 an interview with me titled "Former US Diplomat: War on Turkish Schools in Africa Ruining Turkey's Credibility." 

The interview was based on my recent book, Hizmet in Africa: The Activities and Significance of the Gulen Movement, published by Tsehai Publishers in Los Angeles.  The interview focused almost entirely on the 110 or so schools that Hizmet operates throughout Africa.

One way that Hizmet could reduce criticism leveled against it would be to engage in greater transparency, for example publishing a list of all the Hizmet-affiliated schools throughout the world.  Such a list does not exist publicly.  I have no doubt that my compilation of Hizmet schools in Africa has several errors of omission and possibly of commission, but it is the most up-to-date and complete list available.   

Turkish NGO in Africa

The Turkish-language paper, Zaman Amerika, asked me to respond to several questions concerning the Gulen-affiliated non-governmental organization known as Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anyone There?), which has relief projects in Turkey and many countries around the world.  I am finishing a book on the Gulen Movement in Africa and did research on Kimse Yok Mu's activities there.  The interview has been translated into Turkish.

The Turkish English-language Sunday Zaman  wrote an article based on the interview dated 9 November 2014 titled "Turkey Will Hurt Own Interests if Gov't Shuts Down Kimse Yok Mu."

China-Africa Video Interview

During a visit to Denver, Colorado, on 10 February 2014, the Rocky Mountain PBS World Denver Talks program with Karen de Bartolome interviewed me on China-Africa relations. There are two ten minute video clips.


Part I focuses exclusively on China-Africa ties while Part II is a combination of China-Africa, my impression of changes in Africa and the Gulen Movement in Africa, the topic of a book that I am working on.

World Denver Talks RMPBS page contains both segments, which are also located on the video section of their webpage.

YouTube also has Part I and Part II.

Turkey's Role in Somalia

The International Crisis Group (ICG) published an excellent analysis on 8 October 2012 titled Assessing Turkey's Role in Somalia. At one point, I believe it suggested Turkey's revived interest in Africa is more recent than is actually the case. Turkey undertook a major effort beginning in 2005 to expand its relations throughout Africa. Its engagement with Africa since then has been extraordinary.

The study concluded that "Somalis of all walks of life refer to Turkey's arrival as a miracle and Godsend. But that honeymoon is ending." ICG added that "Turkey faces incredibly high Somali expectations that will lead to disappointment unless well managed." It then properly warned: "Ankara should be under no illusion that it can continue working solo in Somalia. International actors that have traditionally played the lead role in Somalia are joining Turkey on the ground in Mogadishu. It will need to coordinate its efforts with others to achieve a durable peace in Somalia, because the alternative--poor coordination--will be exploited by Somali politicians, leading to unnecessary duplication and the waste of limited and badly needed resources."

Click here to read the analysis.

The Gulen Movement in Kenya

The French Institute for Research in Africa recently published an interesting piece on the Gulen Movement in Kenya. Fetullah Gulen is a Turkish intellectual and former Imam who now lives in the United States. His ideas have created a global movement, especially in the field of education, that is spreading throughout Africa. Gabrielle Angey, a PhD candidate at EHESS in Paris, wrote this brief analysis.

Click here to access the article.