Tunç Demirtaş

The current edition of Insight Turkey undertakes a comprehensive examination of Türkiye’s Africa policy, encompassing bilateral, regional, continental, and global perspectives, with a specific focus on the past two decades. Additionally, in the context of the ongoing Gaza conflict in the Middle East, we are pleased to present three off-topic commentaries that offer an in-depth analysis of recent developments pertaining to Gaza and the wider region. In this special edition, our objective is to furnish our readers with valuable insights through comprehensive deliberations and a range of perspectives on the aforementioned subjects.  

Türkiye’s comprehensive, pragmatic, multi-dimensional, and multi-stakeholder strategy towards Africa is commendable for adopting a collaborative approach that aligns well with the region’s needs. This study aims to explore Türkiye’s security relations in Sub-Saharan Africa through a constructivist perspective, focusing on the sub-regions of East Africa, West Africa, and the Sahel Belt. The research employs a qualitative methodology, drawing on official documents, academic literature, reports from international organizations, and discourse analysis to examine Türkiye’s security policy in the region. Türkiye’s security cooperation in Sub-Saharan Africa extends beyond mere military ties, encompassing a holistic strategy that supports regional peace and stability. By enhancing and strengthening these efforts, Türkiye significantly bolsters its standing in Sub-Saharan Africa and contributes to regional security architecture.

This article analyzes the Tigray crisis in Ethiopia based on the policies of global and regional powers in the context of the African neo-colonial order. The study emphasizes that although the colonial system has ended in the international system, the power struggle in Africa continues through neo-colonialism. The article proceeds with the argument that changing the policies of global and regional actors may result in neo-colonial struggle and instability in Ethiopia. The study aims to define a variable of the approaches of global and regional actors, which is the cause of the instability and neo-colonial struggle experienced due to the crisis in Ethiopia. In this context, the study’s most probable case study method was used and it assumed that the indirect involvement of global and regional actors in the Ethiopian-Tigray conflict has a neo-colonial purpose. Global actors have different interests in line with the regional power struggle and competition. It shows the existence of neo-colonialism as global and regional actors influence Ethiopia’s economic and political systems. Ethiopia’s exposure to neo-colonial interventions hinders these countries’ economic growth and their political, social, and technological development. As a result, it has reached that the neo-colonial struggle has a destabilizing effect on Ethiopia.