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Bolstering the Bromances: Turkey's and Iran's Tightening Ties with Africa
[working paper]
Corporate Editor
German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA) - Leibniz-Institut für Globale und Regionale Studien
Abstract Changing global dynamics resulting from the Russian invasion of Ukraine are creating opportunities for non-traditional actors - such as Iran and Turkey - to scale up their engagement with Africa. The African continent is particularly affected by the war: the blockage of grain export routes, the repe... view more
Changing global dynamics resulting from the Russian invasion of Ukraine are creating opportunities for non-traditional actors - such as Iran and Turkey - to scale up their engagement with Africa. The African continent is particularly affected by the war: the blockage of grain export routes, the repercussions of Western-imposed sanctions, and globally surging prices have fuelled anti-Western discourses on the continent. The consequences of the war against Ukraine have exacerbated the already existing challenges in Africa regarding food security, especially since the continent is heavily dependent on wheat imports from Russia and Ukraine. The war's precedence over other crises in terms of immediate response puts already vulnerable regions at risk of greater food scarcity, humanitarian emergencies, and political instability.
Over the past twenty years, Turkey has emerged as a major humanitarian actor in Africa, promoting rhetoric that brands the country a benevolent brother of African states. Ankara's role in brokering the grain shipment agreement between Ukraine and Russia has strengthened this narrative, with Turkey gaining recognition for having prevented more severe food crises. In terms of Iran, Africa has played a crucial role in its international status-seeking agenda and intermittently as an economic survival sphere at times of deteriorating Iranian relations with the West. The developments regarding the domestic mass uprisings and unpromising nuclear negotiations - coupled with recent comprehensive cooperation with Russia since the beginning of the war - have led to a revitalisation of Iran's engagement with African states. Both Iran and Turkey deploy an amicable rhetoric, drawing on their discursive advantages - such as their Muslim identity and non-colonial history - to better engage with African states. In this way, they are able to leverage rising anti-Western sentiments among African leaders and societies to serve their foreign policy agendas. If European governments wish to remain relevant partners to African states and contain the anti-Western power projection of states such as Iran and Turkey, they should not depart from their commitments to the continent. They should exhibit a genuine commitment to horizontal partnerships and take a coherent approach towards authoritarian states to promote a value-based foreign policy.... view less
Keywords
international relations; bilateral relations; foreign policy; economic cooperation; system change; perspective; Africa; Russia; effect; development; Ukraine; war; Turkey; Iran; international cooperation; structure; humanitarian aid; international agreement; impact; international system; diplomatic representation
Classification
International Relations, International Politics, Foreign Affairs, Development Policy
Free Keywords
Russisch-Ukrainischer Krieg; Waffenverkäufe; Waffenlieferungen; Kooperationsabkommen
Document language
English
Publication Year
2022
City
Hamburg
Page/Pages
14 p.
Series
GIGA Focus Global, 6
DOI
https://doi.org/10.57671/gfgl-22062
ISSN
1862-3581
Status
Published Version; reviewed