Earlier this month, a Turkish delegation comprising the overseas, defence, vitality and deputy commerce ministers, alongside the nation’s intelligence chief, visited Niger. It was a follow-up to the go to of Nigerien Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine to Ankara two months in the past.
The 2 states signed a declaration to encourage Turkish firms to put money into oil and pure gasoline fields in Niger, and mentioned methods to reinforce cooperation between the 2 international locations in defence and intelligence.
What does Turkey’s involvement in Niger imply for the area and past, provided that Niger’s navy junta has ordered the United States to withdraw its navy personnel from the nation and kicked out France?
This go to is more likely to mark a turning level in Turkey-West Africa relations. Ankara has lengthy proven curiosity in West Africa, however till not too long ago, it was comparatively cautious.
Turkey’s navy cooperation with West African and Sahel international locations beforehand aimed to safe their assist in fixing the Libya disaster. A number of years in the past, Turkey pledged $5m to strengthen the regional combat in opposition to terrorism.
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beginning with Turkey Unpacked
Navy cooperation with a number of West African international locations existed at completely different ranges, together with navy coaching. Turkey signed navy cooperation agreements with Niger in 2020, Togo in 2021 and Senegal in 2022. These developments marked the beginning of a brand new period in Ankara’s safety relations with West Africa.
However Ankara’s smooth and arduous energy methods centred on strengthening bilateral ties and carefully following regional developments. As with Turkey’s expertise in East Africa, nonetheless, Ankara now sees West Africa as a chance to dominate and form developments.
Dependable associate
Till not too long ago, Ankara gave the impression to be competing with worldwide companions who had been already current within the area. Turkey’s rivalry with France over Libya, alongside the disaster within the Jap Mediterranean, heightened tensions between Paris and Ankara, making even European companions reluctant to collaborate with Turkey in Africa.
This era is now over. Ankara is seen as a possible dependable associate for West African international locations in disaster.
Its major focus now’s Niger. Ankara’s strategic method to Africa is to concentrate on one nation comprehensively, after which exert affect over the area as an entire. It has finished so in Somalia and East Africa, turning into a key participant and mediator in regional crises.
Different international locations would do effectively to take classes from Ankara’s visionary, inclusive and rapid-response insurance policies in the direction of West Africa
Turkey’s Niger initiative is multidimensional, spanning the financial, safety, defence and vitality sectors, which may contribute to ending Niger’s worldwide isolation. Niger sees Turkey as a manner out, as Somalia did beforehand.
Ankara’s sturdy presence within the area, and particularly in Niger, additionally holds potential for the restoration of the Financial Neighborhood of West African States (Ecowas), which has lengthy been an formidable and comparatively profitable actor in West Africa’s political and safety spheres.
Certainly, Ecowas was on its manner in the direction of setting an instance of an influential grouping for the continent’s different regional organisations. However this stalled in current days with the institution of a new alliance amongst a number of coup-hit international locations, together with Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali.
Whereas this poses an existential risk to Ecowas, Turkey’s good relations with all international locations within the bloc could assist to facilitate reintegration of the latter three.
Mediation efforts
As well as, as a high diplomat from the area informed me, many West Africans consider that it’s higher to have Turkish troopers on the bottom than Russian forces, in gentle of Ankara’s safety and navy ties with the West.
Moreover, Turkey’s candid, cordial and forward-looking mediation efforts, which have been seen not too long ago in East Africa through Turkey’s function in Somali-Ethiopian talks, may doubtlessly be replicated in West Africa, contemplating its beneficial relations with international locations throughout the area.
Whereas Russia has additionally proven an curiosity in influencing developments within the Sahel area, particularly for the reason that navy coups in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, Moscow stays preoccupied with the battle in Ukraine – and the way forward for Russian affect by means of the Wagner Group in Africa is unsure.
The case of Turkey demonstrates how a rustic with midsized financial and political energy can set up itself as a big participant in a faraway area to affect developments.
As world turbulence and regional conflicts paralyse states throughout Africa, different international locations would do effectively to take classes from Ankara’s visionary, inclusive and rapid-response insurance policies in the direction of West Africa, in an effort to diversify their very own partnerships with newly rising powers.
The views expressed on this article belong to the creator and don’t essentially mirror the editorial coverage of Center East Eye.
