Turkey And Iran Extend Influence Into Africa

Turkey and Iran are engaging in new operations in Africa - reports

SETH J. FRANTZMAN 

Call it a new 'Great Game' or war for hearts and minds, or just influence peddling, but Iran and Turkey are now engaged in greater efforts to expand their role in Africa. This comes as Russia and China are also extending networks on the continent. It is important to understand that this is in the context of the US generally reducing its global role and comes around 60 years after European colonialism was rolled back.  

The increasing footprint of Iran and Turkey have caused concern for other states that view their role as belligerent. That means that Gulf media is concerned that Turkey has a large base in Somalia and that Turkey has sought more bases in Libya, as well as work in Sudan and Tunisia. One could see this as a competition for East Africa, which is across the Red Sea Bab al-Mandeb straits from Saudi Arabia. But there is also competition for influence in North Africa, especially in Libya’s civil war and Tunisia.  

An article at The National in the UAE in May revealed that Iran has begun to play a role with military proxy groups in the Central African Republic (CAR). The article revealed that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Quds Force has played a role in cultivating “terrorist cells.” It has operated, funded, trained and directed proxy groups. Its role and influence in Africa is still far from mapped and known but the article implies it has recruited figures in the CAR and elsewhere. Iran has also been active in Nigeria and also in South Africa and Hezbollah has been active in West Africa.  

An article at Al-Ain also asserts that Turkey and Qatar are now working to exert influence in Africa. The article asserts that Qatar has been trying to do influence peddling in Tunisia and that Qatar’s Defense Minister Khalid al-Attiyah has been coordinating with Turkey’s defense minister in discussions about Libya and Tunisia. They want to establish a “joint military training center” in Libya.  “Doha offered Tunisia to finance development projects,” the report notes. Qatar is an ally of the Islamic right-leaning party Ennahda.