New article: Turkey’s Engagement with the African Organisations: Partner or Competitor?

 

    Abstract

Turkey has been among one of the most active players in African politics over the last decade. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) governments have changed the traditional foreign policy approach towards Africa. Turkey has sought to develop its strategic relations with non-Western regional and sub-regional organisations during the AK Party governments. In this regard, Turkish Embassy in Addis Ababa was accredited to the African Union (AU) and other sub-regional African organisations since 2005. In this research, the main question is ‘why has Turkey deepened and widened its strategic relations with African regional and sub-regional organizations?’ This research will scrutinise Turkey’s engagement with the African organisations by employing a theoretical approach and a holistic approach. According to the findings of this research, Turkey has changed its traditional approach towards African politics and played a dynamic role in establishing a new global order despite persistent challenges in the world.

Keywords Turkey, Turkish foreign policy, African Union (AU), African               Organisations, cooperation, foreign policy

How to cite:

Sıradağ, A. (October 2020) Turkey's Engagement with the African Organizations: Partner or Competitor? India Quarterly: A Journal of International Affairs, Vol. 76, No. 4, pp. 1-16.

Please click the link below to find out more information about my article: 

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0974928420963321

The dynamics shaping Turkish African Policy and Turkey’s Approach towards the Western Sahara Conflict

AFRICANA STUDIA

Revista Internacional de Estudos Africanos/ International Journal of African Studies

The Centre of African Studies of Porto University (CEAUP)
Centro de Estudos Africanos da Universidade do Porto (FLUP)

Abstract:

This research examines the factors and the dynamics that shape Turkish Foreign Policy (TFP) towards Africa. The study highlights that there are the five important factors affecting TFP in Africa. The first factor is that Turkey’s historical legacy has paved the way for strengthening relations with Africa. The second factor is that the changing domestic dynamics in Turkey has been a significant driving force to engage with the African continent. The third dynamic is a new geopolitical balance of power emerged in the region of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in 2011 that forced Turkey to look for the new economic and political allies in Africa. The last factor is the impact of globalization. Due to the process of globalization, Turkish NGOs, think tanks, and economic associations have become more active players in shaping TFP towards Africa.

This research also explains Turkish foreign policy approach towards the Western Sahara conflict. Turkey’s strong economic and political relations with Morocco has limited Turkey’s active involvement towards the Western Sahara conflict. Furthermore, the many actors’ involvement in the conflict undermines Turkey’s engagement in the Western Sahara.

Keywords: Turkey, Africa, Turkish foreign policy, Western Sahara conflict

How to cite: Sıradağ, A. (2018). The dynamics shaping Turkish African Policy and Turkey’s Approach towards the Western Sahara Conflict. Africana Studia, Vol. 29, pp. 157-167.

Please visit the below links to find out more about the article:

https://eds.b.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=fef39c9c-8cc8-4bb2-8b17-e2bbe955efcb%40pdc-v-sessmgr02&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#db=asn&AN=137885105

http://www.africanos.eu/index.php/en/africana-studia-2/numeros-anteriores/860-africana-studia-n%C2%BA-29-saara-ocidental-as-pol%C3%ADticas-do-impasse

The role of the Turkish NGOs in Somalia: Connections or disruptions

The University of Edinburgh's Centre of African Studies, the 8th European Conference on African Studies, Scotland, the United Kingdom, 13 June 2019.

Author:

Abdurrahim Siradag (King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM)) 

Paper short abstract:

Turkey has been developing a new pattern in the field of soft power politics in Africa. This paper will discuss a number of significant questions regarding the Turkish NGOs' involvement in Somalia and explore the main dynamics and the reasons behind its involvement.

Paper long abstract:

Turkey has been one of the most visible actors in African politics in recent years. It has not only developed its relations with Africa in the fields of high politics, but also strengthened its relations in the fields of low politics. Turkey has increased the number of its diplomatic missions across the continent from 12 to 41. At the same time, while Turkey's total trade with Africa was around 5 billion USD in 2003, it reached to 21 billion USD in 2018. In addition, Turkey opened its largest overseas military base in Somalia in 2015. Turkey has been developing a new pattern in the field of soft power politics in Africa. Somalia has been a unique place for the Turkish NGOs that have been actively interacted with the local people. Importantly, Turkish NGOs are not only providing humanitarian aid in Somalia, but also implementing a set of significant initiatives creating job opportunities for the local people and supporting the small-scale enterprises. Why have been Turkish NGOs actively and fearlessly involved in the social projects in Somalia that is among the most dangerous countries in the world? What are the forces driving the process of the Turkish NGOs in Somalia? This paper will discuss a number of significant questions regarding the Turkish NGOs' involvement in Somalia and explore the main dynamics and the reasons behind its involvement.

Please visit the below links to find out more:

https://ecasconference.org/2019/doi

https://ecasconference.org/2019/downloads/ecas2019_programme.pdf

https://www.nomadit.co.uk/conference/ecas2019/paper/49467 

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

https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/DPvMTvWZB3xugFAwMuyF/full

To cite this article: Sıradağ, A. (2018).Turkey-Africa alliance: Evolving patterns in security relations, African Security Review, Vol. 3-4, No. 27, pp. 308-325 (ESCI, Web of Science).

Turkiye-Somali Iliskileri: Sebepler, Dinamikler ve Meydan Okumalar

Ozet:

Turkiye-Somali ilişkileri 2011 yılından sonra gelişmeye başlamıştır. 2011 yılında Turkiye 1991 yılında guvenlik gerekcesi ile kapattığı Somali buyukelciliğini yeniden acmıştır. 2016 yılında ise Turkiye Somali’de bir askeri us inşa etmiştir. Turkiye 2011 yılından sonra bu ulke ile ilişkilerini derinleştirmek icin cok yonlu ve cok boyutlu bir dış politika modelini uygulamaya koymuştur. Bu calışmada Turkiye-Somali ilişkilerinin gelişmesine yon veren temel sebep ve dinamikler analiz edilecektir. Ayrıca bu araştırmada şu sorulara da cevap aranacaktır: Turkiye’nin Somali ile artan ilişkileri Turkiye’nin Afrika ve Ortadoğu’daki jeopolitik gucunu nasıl etkileyecektir? Turkiye nicin Somali’deaskeri bir guc kurma ihtiyacı duymuştur?

Anahtar Kelimeler: Turkiye, Somali, Afrika, Turk Dış Politikası, AK

Parti.

Webpage: https://www.nobelkitap.com/ortadogu-yilligi-2016-346730.html

Alinti: Sıradağ, A. (2017). Turkiye-Somali Iliskileri: Sebepler, Dinamikler ve Meydan Okumalar (Turkey-Somali Relations: Causes, Dynamics and Challenges). Ortadogu Yilligi 2016 (Middle East Yearbook 2016), (Editorler: Kemal Inat ve Muhittin Ataman). Ankara: Kadim Yayinlari (KADIM Publications), (in Turkish),  pp. 497-713.

Turkiye’nin Afrika Politikasi (Türk Dis Politikasi Yilligi 2017)

GIRIŞ

Türkiye 2017’de Afrika ile siyasi, ekonomik, sosyal ve güvenlik ilişkilerini en güçlü düzeyde devam ettirmiştir. Fetullahçı Terör Örgütü’nün (FETÖ) 15 Temmuz 2016’daki başarısız darbe girişiminin ardından Türkiye Afrika’yla siyasi ve diplomatik ilişkilerini en yüksek seviyeye çıkararak bu kıtada FETÖ okullarının kapatılması için önemli adımlar atmıştır. Bu bağlamda Türkiye yoğun diplomasi faaliyetlerinin sonucu olarak Afrika’daki yirmi beş farklı ülkede FETÖ okullarının faaliyetlerinin sonlandırılmasını sağlamış ve diğer Afrika ülkelerinde de bu okulların kapatılması için yoğun bir siyasi ve diplomatik çalışma yürütmeye devam etmiştir. Türkiye’nin Afrika Politikası Ankara 2017’de Afrika’da sadece FETÖ yapılanmasına karşı mücadele etmemiş ayrıca kıta ile ekonomi, enerji, güvenlik ve insani kalkınma yardımları alanlarında da çok yoğun bir çalışma programı düzenlemiştir. Kıta ile sürdürülen ilişkilerin kurumsallaşarak daha da güçlenmesi amacıyla 2017’de gerek bakanlıklar gerekse Cumhurbaşkanlığı düzeyinde çeşitli Afrika ülkelerine çok önemli ziyaretler yapılmıştır. Bu bağlamda Cumhurbaşkanı Recep Tayyip Erdoğan 2017’de Afrika’da altı ülkeye resmi ziyaret düzenlemiştir. 2017’de yürütülen Türkiye-Afrika ilişkileri Afrika kıtasının Türk dış politikasının ayrılmaz bir stratejik parçası olduğunu ortaya koymuş ve ilişkilerin artık kurumsallaşma dönemine girdiğini göstermiştir. Bu çalışmada Türkiye’nin 2017 Afrika politikası incelenmiş ve Ankara’nın buradaki varlığının temel dinamiklerinin ne olduğu sorusuna cevap aranmıştır.

Webpage: https://www.setav.org/turk-dis-politikasi-yilligi-2017/

Alinti: Sıradağ, A. (2018). Turkiye’nin Afrika Politikasi (Türk Dis Politikasi Yilligi 2017) (Turkish Foreign Policy Yearbook 2017), (Editörler: Burhanettin Duran, Kemal İnat, Mustafa Caner). Ankara: Seta Yayınları (SETA Publications) (in Turkish), pp. 399-418.

Turkey-South Africa Relations: Changing Dynamics in Turkish Foreign Policy

Abstract

Even though Turkey has a strong historical relationship with the Republic of South Africa dating back to the 19th century, its historical and political relations with the Republic of South Africa remained very limited since the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923. When the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) came to power in October 2002, the traditional dynamics of Turkish foreign policy changed significantly. The ruling party explored new political, economic and social instruments so as to increase its relations with South Africa. The AK Party has combined elements of constructivist and realist approaches in its foreign policy activism, focusing on restoring the damaged historical relations with African countries and strengthening economic and trade relations with them. This article argues that there is a mixture of motivations behind increasing the bilateral relations between the two states. Also, this research will focus on how geopolitical, geoeconomic and historical factors play an important role in the development of relations between the two countries.

Keywords: Ottoman State, Turkey, South Africa, Turkish foreign policy, history, politics, economics, geopolitics.

How to cite the article:

Sıradağ, A. (2017). Turkey-South Africa Relations: Changing Dynamics in Turkish Foreign Policy. Eurasian Studies Journal (Avrasya Etudleri), Vol. 51, No. 1, pp. 7-28.

The link that you can download the article:

http://www.tika.gov.tr/upload/2017/YAYINLAR/Avrasya%20Et%C3%BCdleri/Avrasya%20Et%C3%BCdleri%20(51.%20say%C4%B1).pdf