African leaders are in Turkey this weekend, as they take part in the third Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit hosted by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The summit is meant to promote and deepen ties between Istanbul and African nations, with some 40 countries participating in the talks. They’re meant to lead to…
In the nearly ten years since Recep Tayyip Erdogan made his famous visit to Mogadishu in August 2011, Turkey has rapidly become one of Somalia’s most important (and generous) international benefactors. After Erdogan became the first head of state from outside of Africa to visit Somalia since the country’s disastrous…
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey arrived in Banjul on Monday, as part of a three-nation tour that follows a stop in Algeria and will continue in Senegal. This is Erdoğan’s first official visit to the West African nation, which comes amid The Gambia’s recent struggle over President Adama Barrow’s…
Libyan leader Khalifa Haftar has rejected a call from Russia and Turkey to implement a ceasefire beginning Sunday, and said the Libyan National Army will continue its offensive against Tripoli and the internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) based there. Haftar made his announcement through a LNA spokesman late…
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted talks with Fayez Al-Sarraj of Libya on Sunday in Istanbul, as the two strengthened their security commitments in the face of both a renewed offensive on Tripoli at home and heightened tensions over the Eastern Mediterranean within the international community. Sarraj, the head of the…
Six Turkish citizens were released by Libyan forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar on Monday, following Haftar’s declaration that all Turkish citizens and assets in the country are Libyan National Army targets – and an equally forceful message from Turkey that warned of retaliation. Turkey’s ministry of foreign affairs called the…
The Libyan National Army has orders to target any Turkish ships or boats it finds in Libyan territorial waters, after LNA leader Khalifa Haftar declared Turkey responsible for “illegitimate Turkish aggression which resulted in destructive acts.” The decision announced early Saturday also says Turkish interests on Libyan soil are to…
Turkey is set to welcome ministers and business representatives from 49 African countries as the two-day Turkey-Africa Economy and Business Forum begins in Istanbul on Wednesday. This year’s forum is jointly organized by the African Union Commission, the Turkish Ministry of Commerce and Turkey’s Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK). Participants…
Election officials in Turkey say President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has an absolute-majority win in Sunday’s presidential election with 99 percent of the votes counted. The Supreme Election Council announcement, reported by Turkey’s state-aligned Anadolu news agency, countered claims by the opposition that Erdoğan would need to compete in a runoff…
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), a body that counts half of all African nations among its 57 members, plans an extraordinary summit on Friday in Istanbul following the call of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to address the Israeli-Palestinian crisis in Gaza. The OIC has condemned the United States…
Qatar’s ambassador to Sudan said Tuesday that work to restore the port at Suakin Island will begin this month, following the USD$4 billion deal between the two countries to develop the Red Sea site. Rashid Abdul Rahman Al-Nuaimi said the work will begin in the first of three stages, the…
Laureen is the editor of Africa Times
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey began a tour of four African nations on Monday in Algeria, where he met with Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia to discuss cooperation on counterterrorism, energy, and economic development and trade. It is Erdoğan’s second visit to Algeria since becoming president in 2014 and he…
Tensions in the Horn of Africa are drawing attention to the border between Sudan and Eritrea, raising new concerns – and not a little complexity – about regional instability, and the diplomatic and security touchpoints that have implications extending across the Middle East. Sudan announced a border closure in Kassala…
Laureen is the editor of Africa Times
A Qatari media outlet is reporting that Egyptian troops have arrived in Eritrea, in what is believed to be a response to Sudan’s decision last month to permit Turkey’s access to the Red Sea island of Suakin. Although there is no evidence of military confrontation, the al-Sharq report comes amid…
The president of Benin met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara Tuesday, the first state visit there for Patrice Talon since he was elected in April. Media outlets in the West African nation said that after a ceremonial greeting, Erdogan and Talon met to discuss Benin-Turkey relations. Bilateral…