Türkiye’s Africa Policy under the AKP
Transition in Instruments Between Soft and Hard Power
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12797/Politeja.23.2026.103.11Słowa kluczowe:
soft power, hard power, Türkiye, Africa, AKPAbstrakt
Since the Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power, Türkiye has relied primarily on soft power instruments in its engagement with Africa, including the export of cultural goods and educational exchange programs, and development assistance, as well as the development of economic ties supported by the private sector. Over time, these instruments were increasingly complemented by more assertive forms of engagement, particularly in the areas of security and military cooperation. The aim of this article is to demonstrate how Türkiye has combined soft and hard power instruments in its policy towards Africa from 2002 to 2025. For this purpose, the transformation of foreign policy instruments was analyzed, divided into three phases: (I) Normative legitimation of Türkiye’s presence in Africa, (II) Structural economic anchoring of Türkiye in Africa, and (III) Security projection of Türkiye’s Interests in Africa. The research hypothesis assumes that soft power instruments have played a key role in establishing the long-term foundations of Türkiye engagement in Africa, which were subsequently complemented by growing security and defense cooperation.
Pobrania
Bibliografia
“III. Türkiye-Africa Economic and Business Forum (2021),” Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Trade, at https://tabef.org/about-past-forums.html.
“Addressing Challenges, Unlocking Opportunities: Building Stronger Türkiye-Africa Economic Partnerships,” Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Trade, at http://tabef.org/about-overview.html.
Akkoyunlu K., “The Five Phases of Turkey’s Foreign Policy under the AKP,” Social Research: An International Quarterly, vol. 88, no. 2 (2021), pp. 243-270, https://doi.org/10.1353/sor.2021.0014.
Alio I.H., “Türkiye’s Foreign Aid to Africa Under the AK Party: A Constructivist Approach,”
Akdeniz Havzası ve Afrika Medeniyetleri Dergisi, vol. 5, no. 1 (2023), pp. 45-58, https://doi.org/10.54132/akaf.1212149.
Altunışık M.B., “Humanitarian Diplomacy as Turkey’s National Role Conception and Performance: Evidence from Somalia and Afghanistan,” Southeast European and Black Sea Studies, vol. 23, no. 3 (2022), pp. 657-673, https://doi.org/10.1080/14683857.2022. 2131978.
Altunışık M.B., “The Soft Power of Turkey in International Relations,” Global Panorama, 11 November 2022, at https://www.globalpanorama.org/en/2022/11/the-soft-powerof-turkey-in-international-relations-meliha-benli-altunisik/.
Altunışık M.B., Martin L.G., “Turkey and the Middle East and North Africa under the AKP: A Three Level Analysis of Foreign Policy Change,” Uluslararası İlişkiler Dergisi, vol. 20, no. 78 (2023), pp. 79-96. https://doi.org/10.33458/uidergisi.1285200.
Bakir A., “Mapping the Rise of Turkey’s Hard Power,” New Lines Institute for Strategy and Politics, 24 August 2021, at https://newlinesinstitute.org/strategic-competition/regional-competition/mapping-the-rise-of-turkeys-hard-power/.
“Bilateral Relations: Türkiye-Africa Trade and Economic Relations,” Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Trade, at http://tabef.org/bilateral-relations.html.
Çevik S.B., “Reassessing Turkey’s Soft Power: The Rules of Attraction,” Alternatives: Global, Local, Political, vol. 44, no. 1 (2019), pp. 50-71, https://doi.org/10.1177/0304375419853751.
Chiriatti A., Donelli F., “Turkish ‘ Zero Problems’ B etween Failure and Success,” Centre for Policy and Research on Turkey – Research Turkey, vol. 4, no 3 (2015), pp. 108-131.
Dahir A., “The Turkey-Africa Bromance: Key Drivers, Agency, and Prospects,” Insight Turkey, vol. 23, no. 4 (2021), pp. 27-38, https://doi.org/10.25253/99.2021234.2.
Dal E.P., Dipama S., “Assessing Turkey-Africa Engagements,” Africa Policy Research Institute, 27 April 2023, at https://afripoli.org/assessing-turkey-africa-engagements.
“Djibouti’s Biggest Mosque Built by Turkey Opens to Public,” TRT World, 29 November 2019, at https://www.trtworld.com/turkiye/djiboutis-biggest-mosque-built-by-turkeyopens-to-public-12737811.
“Djibouti’s Biggest Mosque, Courtesy of Turkey, Counts Down to Opening,” Daily Sabah, 25 November 2019, at https://www.dailysabah.com/turkey/2019/11/25/djiboutis-biggest-mosque-courtesy-of-turkey-counts-down-to-opening.
Durdu M.B., “Türkiye in West Africa: Soft Power Rhetoric, Hard Power Reality,” The Elephant: African Analysis, Opinion, and Investigation, 27 August 2025, at https://www.theelephant.info/analysis/2025/08/27/turkiye-in-west-africa-soft-power-rhetoric-hard-power-reality/.
Gbadamosi N. “How Turkey Became Africa’s Mediator,” Foreign Policy, 15 January 2025, at https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/01/15/turkey-africa-mediator-sudan-ethiopia-somalia/.
Giannotta V., Suha Çubukçuoğlu S., Al Qutbah S., “Looking at Turkish Foreign Policy Under the AKP Rule,” Trends Research & Advisory, 7 October 2024, at https://trendsresearch.org/insight/looking-at-turkish-foreign-policy-under-the-akp-rule/.
Heibach J., Taş H., “Beyond the Soft–Hard Power Binary: Resource Control in Turkey’s Foreign Policy Towards Sub-Saharan Africa,” Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies, vol. 26, no. 3 (2024), pp. 311-326, https://doi.org/10.1080/19448953.2023.2236510.
Hergüner B., “An Analysis of the EU’s Soft Power and the EU–Turkey Relations Through Metaphors,” Istanbul Ticaret Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, vol. 19 (2020), pp. 501- 514.
“‘Istanbul’ Becomes Most Popular Name in Somalia,” Daily Sabah, 24 December 2021, at https://www.dailysabah.com/turkey/istanbul-becomes-most-popular-name-in-somalia/news.
Kasapoglu C., “Turkey’s ‘African Eagle’ Trains Turkish-Speaking Troops in Somalia: Where Next?,” Terrorism Monitor, vol. 18, no. 21 (2020), at https://jamestown.org/program/turkeys-african-eagle-trains-turkish-speaking-troops-in-somalia-where-next/.
Kaya A., “After 25 Years of Türkiye’s Opening to (Sub-Saharan) Africa: From Endeavours to State Policy,” Avrasya Etüdleri, no. 62 (2023), pp. 107-139.
Kesgin B., Political Leadership and Foreign Policy in Post-Cold War Israel and Turkey, University of Kansas, 19 January 2011, at https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/213394412.pdf.
Lebovich A., van Heukelingen N., “Unravelling Turkish involvement in the Sahel,” Clingendael, 28 July 2023, at https://www.clingendael.org/publication/unravelling-turkishinvolvement- sahel.
Liszkowska D., “Dyplomacja humanitarna jako wyznacznik ‘normatywnej potęgi’ Turcji,” Horyzonty Polityki, vol. 15, no. 51 (2024), pp. 307-326, https://doi.org/10.35765/hp.2498.
van Loon F., “Middle-Power Aid Rivalry in the Horn of Africa: A Comparative Study of Emirati and Turkish Foreign Aid Policy in Somalia,” Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs, vol. 5, no. 3 (2022), pp. 84-102.
“Minister Bolat ‘Our Trade Volume with Africa Reached 40.7 Billion Dollars’,” DEİK – Foreign Economic Relations Board, 12 October 2023, at https://www.deik.org.tr/press-releases-minister-bolat-our-trade-volume-with-africa-reached-40-7-billion-dollars.
Nogueira Pinto T., “Turkey’s Push for Influence in Africa Is Working,” GIS Reports, 9 April 2024, at https://www.gisreportsonline.com/r/turkey-influence-africa/.
Nye J.S., Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics, New York 2004.
Omidi A., “The Evolutionary Feature of Turkey’s Soft Power in the Middle East, 2011–2020, ”Insight Turkey, vol. 23, no. 4 (2021), pp. 11-25, https://doi.org/10.25253/99.2021234.1.
Ozturk A., “Turkey Opens 31 Embassies in Africa,” AA, 16 December 2012, at https://www.aa.com.tr/en/turkey/turkey-opens-31-embassies-in-africa/298107.
Parens R., Plichta M., “Turkey’s Return to Africa,” Foreign Policy Research Institute, 10 March 2025, at https://www.fpri.org/article/2025/03/turkeys-return-to-africa/.
Rugutt W., Nzomo M., Okoth P.G., “Examining Foreign Development Assistance in Africa through Emerging Power Dynamics: A Focus on Turkey’s Engagement in the Horn of Africa,” European Journal of Development Studies, vol. 3, no. 6 (2023), pp. 79-87, https://doi.org/10.24018/ejdevelop.2023.3.6.317.
Ruiz-Cabrera S., Gürkan H., “Effects of Turkish Cultural Products on Its Foreign Policy Toward Africa: Turkish TV S eries as an Example of Soft P ower in Kenya, Mozambique, and Senegal,” Profesional de la Información, vol. 32, no. 2 (2023), pp. 1-16, https://doi.org/10.3145/epi.2023.mar.26.
“Sadat Defense,” SADAT, at https://sadat.com.tr/en/.
Saddiki S., “The New Turkish Presence in North Africa: Ambitions and Challenges,” Med Dialogue Series, no. 33 (2020), at https://www.kas.de/documents/282499/282548/The+New+Turkish+Presence+in+North+Africa.pdf/1ef5bc1d-f900-a9b5-6fb0-619c94ec37b1.
Saini Fasanotti F., “Signs of an I ncreasingly F lexible Turkey in Africa,” Geopolitical Intelligence Services, 27 February 2025, at https://www.gisreportsonline.com/r/turkey-africa/.
Siradag A., “The Rise of Turkey’s Soft Power in Africa: Reasons, Dynamics, and Constraints,” International Journal of Political Studies, vol. 8, no. 2 (2022), pp. 1-14, https://doi.org/10.25272/1icps.1117810.
Tabak H., “Manifestations of Islam in Turkey’s Foreign Policy,” in H. Tabak, Ö. Tüfekçi, A. Chiriatti (eds), Domestic and Regional Uncertainties in the New Turkey, Cambridge 2017.
“TİKA Carried Out 1884 Projects in the Last 5 Years in Africa,” TİKA:Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency, 31 May 2022, at https://tika.gov.tr/en/detail-tika_carried_out_1884_projects_in_the_last_5_years_in_africa/.
Touazi I., Sau A., Benucci M., “Türkiye, the New Regional Hegemonic Power in Africa,” The International Team for the Study of Security-Verona, 14 January 2025, at https://www.itssverona.it/turkiye-the-new-regional-hegemonic-power-in-africa.
“Turkish Defense Industry Sets New Record with $5.5B in 2023 Exports,” Daily Sabah, 3 January 2024, at https://www.dailysabah.com/business/defense/turkish-defense-industrysets-new-record-with-55b-in-2023-exports.
“Turkish Development Assistance Report 2015,” TİKA. Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency, at https://tika.gov.tr/wp-content/uploads/2017/YAYINLAR/TKYR%202015%20ENG/KALKINMA%20.pdf.
“Türkiye and The African Union,” Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at https://www.mfa.gov.tr/turkiye-and-the-african-union.en.mfa.
“Türkiye-Africa Relations,” Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at https://www.mfa.gov.tr/turkiye-africa-relations.en.mfa.
“Türkiye Development Assistance Report 2023,” TİKA. Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency, at https://tika.gov.tr/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/TURKIYE-DEVELOPMENT-ASSISTANCE-REPORT-2023-ENG-final.pdf.
“Türkiye’s Development Cooperation: General Characteristics And The Least Developed Countries (LDC) Aspect,” Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at https://www.mfa.gov.tr/turkey_s-development-cooperation-fr.fr.mfa.
Wasilewski K., Turcja w procesie przemian: wnioski dla strategii UE, Warszawa 2017.
“We reached our goal of 100,000 cataract surgeries,” İHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation, 13 November 2017, at https://ihh.org.tr/en/news/we-reached-the-goal-100-thousand-cataract-surgeries.
Wódka J., Polityka zagraniczna „nowej” Turcji. Implikacje dla partnerstwa transatlantyckiego, Warszawa 2013.
Vial A.-S., Isidore M., “Türkiye, the N ew R egional P ower in Africa (1/3). ‘African solutions for African problems’,” Les clés du Moyen-Orient, 21 February 2025, at https://www.lesclesdumoyenorient.com/Turkiye-the-new-regional-power-in-Africa-1-3-African-solutions-for-African.html.
Zajączkowski K., “Uwarunkowania ekonomiczne a członkostwo Turcji w Unii Europejskiej,” in A. Szymański (ed.), Turcja i Europa. Wyzwania i szanse, Warszawa 2011.
Pobrania
Opublikowane
Numer
Dział
Licencja
Utwór dostępny jest na licencji Creative Commons Uznanie autorstwa – Użycie niekomercyjne – Bez utworów zależnych 4.0 Międzynarodowe.
