Abstract
Since 2005, with the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK
Party) governments, the African continent has gained great importance in
Turkish Foreign Policy. Turkey's soft power policy is one of the most important
tools in the development of multilateral relations with Africa. Turkey has been
making significant cooperation with African countries in the fields of military
and defense in recent years. For example, Turkey's largest overseas military
base was opened in Somalia in 2017. However, Turkey's soft power prepares a
very important strategic ground for deepening relations with the continent in
the political, economic, social, and security fields. The ruling AK Party
governments have moved Turkey's relations with Africa from an ideological
dimension to a strategic one, revealing that the African continent has a
strategic meaning for Turkey. The research argues that Turkey’s soft power
strategy toward Africa has been influenced by several factors and dynamics
including historical, geographical, political, and economic. This study aims to
contribute to the literature by analyzing Turkey’s soft power policy in Africa
in a conceptual framework and holistic approach.
Keywords: Turkey,
Africa, Justice and Development Party (AK Party), Soft Power, Turkish Foreign
Policy.
Sıradağ, A. (August 2022). The Rise of Turkey’s Soft Power in Africa: Reasons, Dynamics, and Constraints, International Journal of Political Studies, Vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 1-14.
https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/icps/issue/72403/1117810
