By LAZAROS KAMPOURIDIS
The most characteristic example of Turkey’s ambitious foreign policy in the current period are its moves in East Africa, which reveal the neighboring country’s strategy in the wider region. However, the signing of agreements with East African countries also includes elements that have not seen the light of day and are related to Ankara’s ballistic missile program.
Diplomatic moves
During the visit of Erdogan and the Turkish delegation to Cairo, a number of agreements were signed between the two countries, including issues of a defense nature.
The latest Turkey-Somalia agreement includes providing protection to the latter’s territorial waters and EEZ. Also, Turkey will undertake the construction of a fleet for Somalia, while, in addition to the very large military base in Mogadishu, the Turkish Navy will now also have a naval base. In return, Turkey will reap for ten years 30% of the profits from the region’s hydrocarbon exports.
Turkey also signed an agreement with Djibouti, a key country for the control of the Red Sea, which provides for the training of the country’s police and military forces by the Turkish MIT, the Police and the Turkish Armed Forces. Djibouti has purchased MEA number Bayraktar TB2 from Turkey and the two countries’ relations have expanded to the areas of infrastructure, education, health and trade.
Last April, Turkey also signed a military agreement with Ethiopia, followed by the sale of Turkish Bayraktar TB2 air defense systems. The signing of agreements of a military as well as economic nature has started since 2021, while it has also been extended to the fields of intelligence and the defense industry.
Turkey maintains excellent relations with Kenya and has signed agreements on trade and project financing. Also in 2023, the two countries had signed a Defense Industry Cooperation agreement, according to which Turkish defense companies will supply military equipment to the Kenyan Armed Forces.
Finally, in 2021, Turkey signed agreements with Sudan for cooperation in renewable energy, economy and military cooperation for the sale of defense material.
Ballistic program-underground talks
But the most important agreement of all the above is the one that allows Turkey to use Somali territory for tests of long-range missiles and the rockets of Ankara’s space program. The Turkish Armed Forces, for this reason, have the firing range in Sinop, which, however, has restrictions for such tests, since the air spaces of the Black Sea countries are violated.
In the past, Erdogan has announced that Turkey is working on the production of ballistic missiles. It is known that Turkey in recent years has been cooperating with Pakistan in the production of ballistic missiles, as the latter has such expertise since the 1960s.
In this context, an agreement was signed between Turkey and Pakistan for cooperation in the production of long-range ballistic missiles. A Turkish committee, headed by the Deputy Chief of the General Staff, General Irfan Ozert, visited Islamabad on February 15 and held talks with the Pakistan Air Force staff, where cooperation on air-to-air missile technology was agreed. This agreement will also extend to cooperation on ballistic missile co-production, which will include technology exchange, missile co-production, personnel training and technical support. Pakistan already has ballistic missiles with a range of 600 to 2,900 km.
Conclusions
Turkey, taking advantage of these agreements, aspires not only to take advantage of the region’s rich natural resources but also to be a factor in resolving the differences in the relations of the countries of the Horn of Africa, and in particular the problematic relations between Egypt – Sudan – Ethiopia, Somalia – Ethiopia and Kenya – Somalia.
Thus, with these agreements, Ankara not only aims to strengthen its military presence by creating new bases and exploiting the region’s natural resources, but also to become an independent political factor – an arbitrator for resolving disputes, with the ultimate goal being political, economic and military control of the very important region of East Africa, as it is an area of control of the southern entrance to the Red Sea as well as transport to and from the Indian Ocean.
he use of Somali territory to test Turkey’s ballistic program, together with its military and naval base in the region, gives Ankara the opportunity to demonstrate its power and control over this region, but also to threaten Israel from the South and the countries of the Middle East that do not align with its policy.
Πηγή: https://www.paron.gr/2024/03/10/i-paroysia-tis-toyrkias-stin-anatoliki-afriki-kai-to-toyrkopakistaniko-programma-kataskeyis-vallistikon-pyraylon-toy-l-kampoyridi/
