Turkish Military Presence in Africa: Redefining Ankara's New Roles

Turkish Military Presence in Africa: Redefining Ankara's New Roles


"Technopolitic New World: Security of Security
"Mind, Generation, Family, Faith, and State Security"


Abstracts:
 

This study aims to analyze Turkish military presence in Africa in its new roles as a peace and security provider. Türkiye's military presence in Africa has sparked debates regarding Türkiye's great power status and the underlying lofty ambitions, as well as the potential linkages with other patterns and out-of-area military operations. Yet, the vast academic attention and media interest regarding Türkiye's military involvement is mostly focused on the evident cases of Syria and Libya in the MENA area. This study seeks to address critiques by shifting the geographical focus to Türkiye's attempts at burden-sharing in Africa. As controllers of vast territories and considering the international system at various power levels, the varied contributions made by African governments to the peace-building project will be the thesis of this section. We aim to draw attention to Ankara's efforts in contributing to peace and security against the architectural security needs of the continent, which can unveil diverse bureaucracies, expertise, means, and perspectives to deal with peace, security, and conflict resolution.In line with these three important critiques, the goal of this research is to analyze Türkiye's attempts to support the growing international demand for promoting peace and security in Africa to maintain the peace project. In this regard, the primary research question to be addressed in the next sections of the study is: does the new Turkish military presence in Africa reinforce or undermine international attempts toward African security autonomy and peace operations reforms? The objectives guiding the analysis in the following parts of the chapter will mainly focus on the three dimensions of Turkish-African military cooperation: the first type is the classical, consensual peace operation model of peacekeeping in international missions, which includes Türkiye's contributions to peacekeeping missions in Africa; the second type consists of a non-international form of support, often seen as less institutionalized and cooperative, consisting of attempts to safeguard engagement with important regional protagonist autocratic regimes in the area; the third type involves the more controversial and ideologically driven form of support and is concerned with securing cooperation and alliances in support of Islamists, mainly in Libya and Mali.

Keywords:
Türkiye, Africa, Military, Roles, Cooperation

Introduction

At a time when Africa’s strategic significance has been growing, there has been increasing interest in establishing cooperation and contributing to the peace, security, and development of African nations. In this regard, strengthening cooperation in trade, culture, and military cooperation has become crucial. Given that security is intertwined with development, many middle powers are competing to strengthen relations with African countries. While these powers strategize cooperation, military cooperation is an important instrument in enhancing security ties. Türkiye’s foreign policy discourse often emphasizes seeking global peace, reinforcing political and economic relations with the Global South, engaging in peacekeeping operations, and strengthening military relations.

The role of the military in Turkish foreign policy is by no means a new concern. However, the multiple roles – reassurance, protection, and shaping – that Türkiye signals in its engagement in Africa are a novelty for Türkiye’s proactive foreign policy behavior as it redefines Türkiye’s military presence on the continent. Predominantly seen as a colonizing agent during the Ottoman era, Türkiye’s military presence, during and post-colonization, was limited to concerns about geopolitics and NATO’s strategy to deter the Soviet Union. With the end of the Cold War, the outbreak of the new security environment witnessed the expansion of Turkish defense diplomacy in line with the decision to engage in UN peace operations. Consequently, the transformation of military culture and defense diplomacy, carried out with a foreign policy vision, aimed at cooperation in creating regional stability, unlike its classical perception, focused on the strategic interests of Africa. Such an interest has brought about a symbolic transformation in which the Turkish military has become a carrier of Türkiye’s characteristic features: cosmopolitanism, cultural diversity, and tolerance.