African nations seek security ties with Turkey through ‘Somalia model’
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African nations seek security ties with Turkey through ‘Somalia model’
African nations are increasingly pursuing the “Somali model” that Ankara and Mogadishu have developed over the years, seeking deeper ties with Turkey in hopes of receiving security and economic assistance, Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler told journalists over the weekend.
“In response to requests, we continue to provide training and technical support to the armed forces of African countries and contribute to their capacity building,” he said during the Efes military drills in western Turkey.
“In this context, several other countries are requesting the same model we implemented in Somalia. We are evaluating these requests.”
Turkey and Somalia have a multifaceted relationship that began in 2011, when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, then prime minister, visited the country as it was suffering from a severe drought.
What started as a humanitarian mission has, over the years, evolved into a full-fledged security and economic alliance. Turkey has its largest overseas military base in Mogadishu and has established hospitals and companies there, while also operating the city’s port and airport.
Thousands of Somali soldiers have been trained at the Turkish base, and many have also been sent to Turkey for further training.
Ankara has recently deployed three F-16 fighter jets, ATAK attack helicopters, armed drones, and other assets as Turkish energy drilling ships explore Somalia’s coast for hydrocarbon resources.
The model
An Ankara insider familiar with the issue told Middle East Eye that the proposal being put forward by these African countries is simple: Ankara would provide security and help establish stability, then support the development of economic infrastructure and share in the resulting profits with local communities.
“In Somalia, a range of governments were willing to receive Turkish military aid so they could strengthen their defence capabilities,” the insider said. “They want to provide services and resources to the Somali people, and without stability, that’s not possible.”
The insider said Ankara has taken significant risks in Somalia, where the country has been rocked by suicide bombings carried out by Al-Shabab, a radical armed group, for decades.
The Turkish intervention has made Mogadishu visibly more secure, with frequent bombings on the decline and new apartment buildings beginning to emerge across the city, according to people who recently visited the country and spoke to MEE.
Turkey is already spending substantial sums to guard the Somali coast and support offshore drilling activities.
Another area Turkey is focusing on is the construction of a spaceport in Mogadishu.
Yahya Bostan, a columnist for the Yeni Safak daily, wrote that he expects Israel and the United Arab Emirates to increasingly direct their “destabilising” efforts toward Africa as the Iranian crisis begins to subside.
“They will accelerate their efforts to divide countries and create satellite states,” he said. “This reality carries the risk of worsening and deepening the turmoil in countries where Turkey has invested institutionally and developed friendly relations over many years.”
Bostan expects Sudan could become the next country to follow the Somali model, receiving military training as well as support in building institutional military capacity, along with technology and experience transfers.
The Ankara insider said some Sahel countries, such as Niger and Burkina Faso, as well as Ethiopia, could also seek similar assistance.
المصدر: Middle East Eye