How 2024 solidified Türkiye's ties with Africa

From high-level diplomatic engagements to successful joint economic ventures, the milestones of the year gone by underscored the win-win approach of the Türkiye-Africa relationship across multiple sectors for two decades.

Türkiye solidified its diplomatic presence on the African continent during the course of the year, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hosting a series of African leaders on official visits to Ankara.

The guest list included Senegal's newly elected President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Niger'sPrime Minister Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine, the Sudanese Transitional Sovereignty Council’s chairman, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu Hassan, and President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi of Egypt, among others.

For Türkiye, laying out the red carpet for these African leaders was an extension of the policies that helped lay the building blocks for the country's evolving relationship with a continent it has long valued.

President Erdoğan said as much when he emphasised the importance of the first Tanzanian presidential visit to Türkiye in 14 years as a turning point in bilateral relations.

He highlighted Tanzania's strategic importance in East Africa and fixed the framework for future trade relations, including increasing bilateral trade volume to US $1 billion.

Apart from bilateral visits, President Erdoğan engaged with African leaders in international forums such as the BRICS Leaders Summit in Russia's Kazan, where he met Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso.

The Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF), held in March, played a crucial role in fostering dialogue on global and regional issues. African leaders like Djibouti's President Ismail Ömar Guelleh and his Madagascar counterpart Andry Rajoelina were among the dignitaries in attendance.

In Tanzania, Turkish firms undertook 14 projects worth $6.4 billion. The Türkiye-Tanzania Business Forum aims to create new opportunities for further economic cooperation.

Green shoots were also visible in the banking, transportation and construction sectors. Türkiye's Ziraat Katilim became the first international bank to open a branch in Somalia in 50 years.

Turkish firms like Summa Construction executed infrastructure projects across the continent, including modernising the Amahoro Stadium in Rwanda's Kigali.

The transport sector clocked significant progress, too, with the Turkish construction company Yapı Merkezi executing railway projects in Uganda and Tanzania.

Türkiye has also played a pivotal role in enhancing security and stability across Africa.

Turkish unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been deployed in countries like Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, bolstering counterterrorism operations and helping maintain territorial control in the Sahel region. Nigeria also acquired several helicopters from Türkiye to boost its security.

Türkiye has also brokered a landmark agreement between Ethiopia and Somalia after nearly a year of tense relations between the Horn of Africa neighbours.

Ethiopia and Somalia's relations soured in January after Addis Ababa signed a port access deal with Somalia's breakaway region of Somaliland.

Following months of successful mediation efforts, the two countries signed the deal in Ankara in December to end the dispute. This earned Türkiye international accolades, including from the UN and the US.

The Türkiye-Africa humanitarian and development partnership remains robust, with institutions such as the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), the Turkish Red Crescent, and the ministry of health engaged in development projects across Africa.

TIKA alone operates 22 programme coordination offices on the continent, working to address key issues such as health, education, and economic empowerment.

Türkiye has also stepped up its diplomatic presence in Africa, with the number of Turkish embassies on the continent more than trebling from 12 in 2002 to 44 in 2022.

This diplomatic expansion is mirrored by a reciprocal growth in the number of African embassies in Ankara, which has risen to 38 from just 10 in 2008.

The mutual appreciation for diplomatic engagement indicates the growing political and economic bonds between Türkiye and African nations.

Cultural and educational exchanges have also flourished, with institutions like the Yunus Emre Institute, Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB), and the Turkish Maarif Foundation playing key roles in fostering people-to-people connections.

Turkish Airlines has contributed to increasing connectivity between Türkiye and Africa, reaching over 60 destinations in 39 African countries before the pandemic and steadily growing its flights as travel restrictions eased.

Türkiye aims to be a hub for African nations, facilitating access to global markets through improved transportation links and trade networks.

The ongoing expansion of Turkish Airlines, which plans to increase daily departures to Africa, reflects this ambition.

With continued high-level visits, economic cooperation and humanitarian support, 2024 was a year that exemplified the tone and tenor of Türkiye-Africa relations and set the stage for even deeper collaboration.

As both sides weigh the future, a mutually reinforcing relationship spanning diplomacy, trade, security, and cultural exchange remains their best bet.