Shaul Shay
(Senior research fellow at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT) at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzeliya (IDC) and former Deputy Head of Israel National Security Council)
Copyright: Research Institute for European and American Studies (www.rieas.gr) Publication date: 6 January 2020
Note: The article reflects the opinion of the author and not necessarily the views of the Research Institute for European and American Studies (RIEAS).
Ankara is seeking to expand Turkey's influence beyond the Middle East to Africa in a bid to transform Turkey from a regional power into a sort of neo-Ottoman Empire. Turkey is a key ally and a major donor of the Somali government in efforts to rebuild the country after more than two decades of conflict and famine. Erdogan became the first non-African leader to visit Somalia in nearly 20 years when he traveled there in 2011, as Turkey's prime minister. In 2017, Turkey opened a military base in Mogadishu to train Somali soldiers....Read more