cnxps.cmd.push(function () { cnxps({ playerId: '36af7c51-0caf-4741-9824-2c941fc6c17b' }).render('4c4d856e0e6f4e3d808bbc1715e132f6'); });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. 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.Both North Africa and East Africa are basically either part of or border regions of the Arab League. 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. “Qatar faces difficulty in establishing relations in West Africa and it turns to Turkey to do so,” the article notes.

Source: The North Africa Journal September 18, 2020 08:48 UTC