[PDF] Security and defence sector at the core of Turkeys strategy in Africa

29551_4MTA_PB02_2022_Donelli_UAVs_and_beyond.pdf

Policy Brief 02 MAR 2022

UAVs and beyond: Security and

defence sector at the core of

20-F 4Β.
.I-EI "4
$)
!-$E

Federico Donelli

20-F 4ҍ.
!-$E
+*G$4
#E.
)I - 
E
) 2
+#E.
#E-EI -$5 
4
E
-E+$
3+E).$*)
*!
. 0-$I4
E)

defence ties. The driving forces behind this development have been the efficiency displayed by Turkish

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and the Turkish govern( )Iҍ.
+*G$I$EG
E)
*)*($
) 
I*

- 1$IEG$5
$I.
+-*% I$*)
I*2E-.
I#
*)I$) )Iҁ
GI#*0"#
(*.I
*!
I#
$)I -)EI$*)EG
!*0.
$.
*)
20-F 4ҍ.

UAVs, its defence portfolio goes far beyond drones. Infantry weapons, naval equipment, helicopters, and armoured vehicles are just some of the items that the Turkish defence industry offers African

countries. As a result, Turkey has gained an increasingly significant position on the continent in terms

*!
. 0-$I4
E)
 ! ) ҁ
.
B- .$ )I
-*ŅE)ҍ.
-  )I
%*0-) 4
I* West Africa highlighted, security

cooperation has become an important bargaining chip. Turkey is exploiting the interest of African

*0)I-$ .
$)
$I.
2 E+*)-4
I*
"E$)
*)*($
 ) !$I.
E)
-*E )
$I.
+*G$I$EG
$)!G0 ) ҁ
.
20-F 4ҍ.

security cooperation expands beyond its longstanding African partners, Turkey will also have to renegotiate relations with traditional Western partners such as the United States (US) and France, as well as extra-regional competitors such as Russia and China. Between 2017 and 2020, domestic politics and other foreign policy priorities led Turkey to reduce the weight of Africa in its foreign policy. But since 2020, the security dimension, which used to be a minor factor in relations with African countries, has become a Turkish policy focus on the continent. Turkish Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs, i.e. drones) have led the way. In 2021, Turkish UAVs captured the attention of the media and international players. Their use in Libya and in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict revealed the level of performance achieved by some Turkish combat drones, most notably the Bayraktar TB2. Besides the efficiency exhibited on the battlefield, the fame of Turkish UAVs is due to their comparatively low cost. High performance at affordable prices has made Turkish- manufactured drones some of the most sought-after items in the international defence market.1 Among the countries that have begun to inquire about UAVs from Ankara,

there are also an increasing number of African states. AfricE)
.IEI .ҍ
$)I - .I
$)
-*) .
E)҂

more generally, in Turkish defence equipment has given new impetus to the Turkish agenda toward the continent.

1 0*..$I -҂
.#ҁ
эыэьҁ
Ҏ0-& 4

Politique de confidentialité -Privacy policy