Türkiye's relationship with Africa has evolved over the years into a template for a dynamic and mutually beneficial partnership, rooted in collaboration, shared prosperity, and respect for sovereignty.
Consistency in policy-making and continuity in the initiatives of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have been pivotal in transforming these ties into a robust alliance spanning economic, military and diplomatic partnerships.
The just-concluded 4th edition of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in the picturesque Turkish city of the same name was another platform to celebrate and strengthen these bonds, with several attending heads of state from Africa and the rest of the world using the opportunity for bilateral talks with President Erdogan on the sidelines of the main conference.
“I had a very productive meeting with President Erdogan, in which we solidified our commitment to strengthening bilateral relations, boosting trade, and exploring collaboration across various sectors. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Erdogan for his gracious hospitality,” President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone said.
For Sudan, reeling from the devastation wrought by a war raging for two years, Türkiye has a key role to play in the restoration of peace and the eventual reconstruction of the country.
Sudan’s foreign minister Ali Youssef emphasised as much after President Erdogan held talks with Transitional Sovereignty Council chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, with discussions focused on bilateral ties and efforts to end the conflict in the North African nation.
Erdogan expressed Türkiye’s commitment to supporting Sudan’s reconstruction and normalisation efforts after the conflict ends. He praised their expanding bilateral partnership and reiterated Ankara’s emphasis on safeguarding Sudan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
“We trust President Erdogan's wisdom and await the continuation of his mediation efforts. God willing, they will yield positive results. Türkiye is a country that is doing its utmost to help achieve peace in Sudan through direct diplomatic efforts, and it will also be among the leading countries in contributing to Sudan's reconstruction process,” Youssef said.
Whether mediating hostage releases, facilitating trade agreements, or creating a space for dialogue, the Antalya Diplomacy Forum serves as a platform for global engagement, with Ankara establishing itself as a bridge in a divided world.
The reassurance of help from Türkiye comes amid advances made in recent weeks by the Sudanese army against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, with the army recapturing key areas, including the capital Khartoum and the neighbouring city of Omdurman.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia, another key ally of Türkiye, had a one-on-one with Erdogan to take forward their partnership. Türkiye recently brokered a peace deal between Somalia and Ethiopia, ending a dispute sparked by Addis Ababa’s signing of a port deal with Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland.
“I think the partnership model that Türkiye follows is more durable and sustainable than the prescription models that Western countries employ,” Somalia's state minister for foreign affairs, Ali Mohamed Omar, told TRT Afrika on the sidelines of the diplomacy forum.
He explained that as opposed to some Western powers that are wont to talk down to their allies, Türkiye's model is about “engaging more with the people rather than with the leadership”.
Expanding ambit
The Türkiye-Africa humanitarian and development partnership is driven by institutions such as the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), the Turkish Red Crescent, and the ministry of health, which is engaged in development projects across the continent.
The Turkish Maarif Foundation is another enabler, offering thousands of academic scholarships to Africans.
TIKA alone operates 22 programme coordination offices on the continent, working towards expansion of healthcare, education, and economic empowerment.
“We enjoy excellent relations with Türkiye and have benefited greatly from their support for capacity building and training. They have also offered many of our students opportunities through scholarships,” Dr Phenyo Butale, Botswana’s minister of international relations, told TRT Afrika.
“We are an ambitious government that wants to build a resilient economy requiring certain skills, and Türkiye has played a huge role in that. We have also continued to collaborate in renewable energy. They have more experience and capacity, and we are more than willing to learn from their experience,’’ Butale added.
Türkiye has also stepped up its diplomatic presence in Africa, with the number of Turkish embassies on the continent more than trebling from 12 in 2002 to 44 in 2022. The number of African embassies in Ankara has increased to 38 from 10 in 2008.
“I must commend President Erdogan for his leadership, vision and belief in Africa. He is a champion of South-South cooperation,” said Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Ghana’s minister of foreign affairs.
Ablakwa illustrates the Turkish President’s eagerness to go where others fear to tread.
“He’s been bold about things many other world leaders are ignoring. He's been bold about it when people create the impression that only one war is going on. He’s drawn attention to the fact that there are many conflicts worldwide, many theatres of conflict in Africa, and that we must come together to find solutions,’’ Ablakwa told TRT Afrika.
Somali minister Ali Omar faults the old approach of Africa’s so-called traditional partners in dealing with the issues confronting the continent.
“Their policies were geared more towards getting resources out of Africa and benefiting the elite. Türkiye engages with a spectrum of Somali society, the results of which are visible. We are grateful for that,” he explained.
Gambian foreign minister Mamadou Tangara believes Türkiye’s way of dealing with African countries is a win-win strategy, strengthening trust among the partners.
“Türkiye has been a reliable partner that respects the partners they are dealing with. There is no imposition,” he said.
The growth in ties between Türkiye and African countries comes when Western powers, including the US, France and Germany, face declining influence, particularly in West Africa. Several of these West African countries have already shunted out French and American troops and severed economic ties with the West.
Galloping trade
Türkiye aims to increase the volume of trade with the African continent to US $50 billion, nearly 10 times the 2003 figure of $5.4 billion, the country’s Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz said in December last year after a meeting with Prime Minister Samuel Ntsokoane Matekane of Lesotho in Ankara.
Yilmaz said the trade volume between Türkiye and 54 African countries grew seven-fold between 2003 and 2023, reaching $37 billion.
Apart from its peace efforts in Sudan and the Horn of Africa, Türkiye has boosted the military capabilities of several African countries to help them tackle terrorist groups.
It has provided training and military support to countries like Mali, Niger and Nigeria, among others, along with drones and other military equipment.
Mali's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Abdoulaye Diop said the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a newly established bloc, comprising Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, is determined to fighting terrorism despite the challenges it is facing from Western powers.
Diop criticised embargoes by some Western nations. “In recent years, we have realised that some Western powers are trying to impose embargoes on our countries, that do not have access to military equipment,’’ he said during a panel discussion at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.
“That’s why we turned to countries like Türkiye, China and Russia,” he added.
Gambian foreign affairs minister Tangara echoes this with the West’s attitude towards Africa, which many analysts see as mostly patronising and sometimes high-handed.
“If any country wants to impose their values and culture on us, we will reject it because, first and foremost, we are Gambians and Africans. Türkiye respects all partners,” Tangara told TRT Afrika.
This strategy has translated into seamless cooperation extending beyond Africa.
“Türkiye, Gambia and Azerbaijan are a troika within the OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) that supports us in championing noble causes, such as standing up for our brothers and sisters in Palestine,” Tangara said.
“Wherever we see injustice, we will denounce it. They are also very supportive in our case against Myanmar to make sure that the rights of the Rohingya people are respected,’’ he said.
