The visit will bring to 32 the number of African countries Erdoğan has visited out of the 54 states on the continent. Turkey has been trying to expand its economic presence in Africa since it adopted its African Expansion Plan in 1998 and has held two cooperation summits to promote trade and is to host another next year. Plans to expand business with Africa have received new impetus due to trade losses Turkey has incurred from war or political disputes with Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Egypt in particular, as well as with the Gulf countries, and North Africa. Another priority for Erdoğan in Africa is the presence of hundreds of schools across the continent run by the Gülen movement that Turkey blames for the 2016 failed coup. Alongside its economic expansion into Africa, Turkey has also increased its military presence on the continent, opening a military base in Somalia, signing a deal to restore a naval port in Sudan and agreeing to open another base in Djibouti.

Source: The North Africa Journal February 27, 2018 09:56 UTC