Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ANKARA1384
2008-08-04 11:31:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

AFRICA: TURKEY'S BLUSHING BRIDE?

Tags:  PREL ECON TU AF 
pdf how-to read a cable
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R 041131Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7024
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-3/J-5//
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//USDP:PDUSDP/ISA:EUR/ISA:NESA/DSCA//
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
RUEUITH/TLO ANKARA TU
RUEHAK/USDAO ANKARA TU
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001384 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/28/2018
TAGS: PREL ECON TU AF
SUBJECT: AFRICA: TURKEY'S BLUSHING BRIDE?

REF: A. ANKARA 1364

B. ANKARA 1307

C. ANKARA 953

Classified By: POL Counselor Daniel O'Grady, for reasons 1.4 (b,d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001384

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/28/2018
TAGS: PREL ECON TU AF
SUBJECT: AFRICA: TURKEY'S BLUSHING BRIDE?

REF: A. ANKARA 1364

B. ANKARA 1307

C. ANKARA 953

Classified By: POL Counselor Daniel O'Grady, for reasons 1.4 (b,d)


1. (C) Summary: For Turkey, sub-Saharan Africa represents an
opportunity to expand its international influence and advance
its multilateral ambitions, foremost a UNSC non-permanent
member seat. Since announcing its UNSC candidacy in 2003,
the GOT has overtly wooed African states in the hopes of
winning their support, with mixed results. Some nations
resent the GOT's perceived bullying and lack of regional
understanding while others welcome the attention.
Nevertheless, few nations have confirmed attendance at the
upcoming GOT-initiated Turkey-Africa Union Istanbul Summit
August 19-21 and even fewer have committed to sending
high-level representation. Regardless of GOT ambitions, the
Turkish business community takes a much longer view of its
relationship with Africa and is pressuring the Government to
adopt a more substantive approach. This is the second of two
cables examining Turkey's growing ties to the region. End
Summary.

Eyes on the Prize: UNSC Seat
--------------

2. (C) The GOT's primary interest in sub-Saharan Africa is
garnering wide support for its 2009-2011 non-permanent UNSC
seat bid, a goal it has not sought to hide. Since declaring
its candidacy in 2003, the GOT has heavily publicized each of
its outreach initiatives ranging from naming 2005 the
Turkey's 'Year of Africa' to announcing its decision to open
10 new African missions in 2008 and hosting the upcoming
Turkey-African Union (AU) Istanbul Summit August 19-21
(reftels). South African Embassy Counselor Sarel van Zyl
told us the GOT has placed immense pressure on the SAG to
"tell" other African nations to vote for Turkey in October.
This and other incidents like it, argued van Zyl,
demonstrates the GOT's general naivet when approaching the
region. Turkey's wooing of Africa, however, has not gone
completely unappreciated. Ethiopian Embassy Financial
Attach Teramed Adane stated that the increased attention
makes his country feel like "a blushing bride."


3. (C) With its focus on the UNSC seat, the GOT has placed
heavy emphasis on securing the African vote at the Turkey-AU

Summit. South African Embassy First Secretary Rene
Everson-Varney told us that when the GOT initially proposed
the event, the AU asked Turkey to invite only a small
delegation of AU representatives. Hoping for a wider
audience, the GOT insisted on full representation and sent
invitations to all AU heads-of-state. MFA officials report
that few African governments have confirmed their
participation or provided information on their delegations'
composition; MFA Africa Section Chief Aykut Kumbaroglu noted
the GOT expects foreign minister participation at a minimum.
Everson-Varney reported the SAG has yet to make a decision,
but was leaning toward sub-minister representation. When
Turkey's premier businessmen's association the Foreign
Economic Relations Board (DEIK) invited African trade
ministers and top CEOs to a recently announced Turkey-Africa
conference to be held simultaneously with the Summit in
Istanbul, however, it significantly increased the pressure to
send their foreign minister, lamented Everson-Varney.

New Horizons, New Markets
--------------

4. (C) Regardless of the UNSC seat, the Turkish economy has a
long-term stake in good relations with sub-Saharan Africa
(ref c). The 9th Annual Development Plan for 2007-2013
states the GOT should focus on Africa as a target market to
increase demand for Turkish goods and services.
Everson-Varney added that Africa is key to Turkey reaching
its goal of becoming one of the top ten global economies by

2023. Led by the Confederation of Businessmen and
Industrialists of Turkey (TUSKON),Turkish small to medium
businesses have made significant inroads into the continent's
construction, engineering, textiles, and consumer goods
markets. Since 2006, TUSKON has held an annual Turkey-Africa
Trade Bridge conference in Istanbul drawing representatives
from over 45 African counties (ref c). Kumbaroglu noted
Turkish businessmen are struggling to compete with their

ANKARA 00001384 002 OF 002


Chinese and Indian counterparts, who already have
well-established communities in Africa that give them an
inherent market advantage. Because of this, Turkish
businessmen are putting increasing pressure on the GOT to
become more substantively active in the region.


5. (C) As the Turkish business community enteres new
locations, it establishes its own cultural institutions, such
as private Turkish schools. More than 50 Turkish schools
across Africa (primarily in Kenya, Tanzania, and South
Africa) provide a high-quality math and science-based
education in Turkish, English, and the local language.
Unlike the Turkish schools in Central Asia where a majority
of students are Turkish expatriates, the local children
constitute nearly half the student body. In some African
nations, local business leaders' and government officials'
children attend as well. Everson-Varney noted the Turkish
business community has also opened schools in many of South
Africa's poorest neighborhoods. Without providing funding or
official affiliation, the GOT indirectly supports the Turkish
schools as a means of promoting Turkey abroad. For example,
the Turkish International Development Agency (TIKA) donated a
computer laboratory to the Necase Ethiopian Turkish School
and GOT officials traditionally visit the schools when
traveling in Africa.

Gulenist Factor
--------------

6. (C) The Islam-oriented Fetullah Gulen Movement plays a
noteworthy role in Turkey's private sector African
activities. As Gulenist leader Ali Yurtsever explained on
Fetullah Gulen's web page, "In Africa, businessmen from
Turkey who are part of the Movement go to a country and start
a business... then start a school. The core group may also
open an interfaith center, or Gulen may advise them to start
a cultural center." These businessmen also derive support
from other reportedly Gulenist-oriented organizations such as
TUSKON. The Turkish Asian Center for Strategic Studies
(TASAM),which also has reported ties to the Movement, is
hosting a Turkish-African NGO Forum in Istanbul August 14-16
one week prior to the Turkey-AU Summit.

Comment
--------------

7. (C) In spite of a long history in the Maghreb, the Turkish
Government has jumped into the deep-end of sub-Saharan
African politics without a full understanding of the region
or a functional strategy beyond its UNSC bid. The July 18
communiqu following the MFA Ambassadors' Conference
addressed Africa in the context of achieving other goals, a
slight that was not lost on Ankara's African missions.
Although Turkey's foreign policy apparatus views Africa as a
means to an end, the business community has an interest
beyond the October vote. However, to prove its sincerity,
the GOT now faces the challenge of transitioning from summer
romance to serious suitor.

Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey

WILSON