The Geopolitical Significance of Ethio- Turkish Relations
Back ground to Ethio-Turkish relations
The exchange of diplomatic delegations between Ethiopia and Turkey in 1896 during the rule of Sultan Abdülhamid II and Emperor Menelik II of Ethiopia ushered a springboard for new relations between the two countries. Following the initial contacts, the first Ottoman-Turkish Consulate General was established in the town of Harar in 1912 apparently to boost trade relations. Turkey established its first Embassy in Sub-Saharan Africa in Addis Ababa in 1926. Ethiopia opened its Embassy in Turkey in 1933. The Ethiopian Embassy in Ankara was closed by the Derge government in 1984 and was re-opened after a long spell in 2006.
Post-Cold war shifts in foreign relations and diplomacy in Ethiopia and Africa
Global post-Cold War period has witnessed various changes and developments in the socio-economic political, and diplomatic relations across the world, notably in Africa and Ethiopia as well. With the collapse of the former USSR in the late 1980s the bi-polar global political order shifted to a unipolar global powerhouse in which the US emerged as a supreme global power. This in turn led to the establishment of democracy and free market economy as a universal paradigm in many African countries, Ethiopia included. With the downfall of the Derge in May 28, 1991. Ethiopia shifted from a totalitarian command economy to free market with the introduction of basic economic liberalization measures which opened up wider investment options for the country.
Another most conspicuous development of the post-Cold War era that significantly influenced Africa’s political economy was the relaxation of the East-West tension and the subsequent disengagement of Western powers including the US from the region giving way for other emerging countries across the world.
Starting at the mid 1990’s countries like China, India, Brazil, Turkey, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Gulf States began to emerge as an alternative foreign relation partner to the various African states including Ethiopia. Disenchanted by the traditional Western powers pattern of handling aid and economic relations and attracted by the new forms of engagement under the frame work of the ‘South-South cooperation’. African countries particularly Ethiopia entered into this new form of collaboration is characterized by a two-way or equal partner relationship that doesn’t rely on conditionality in the one hand and a cooperative relationship that incorporates trade, investment and finance flows on the other.
As the result, Ethiopia started to benefit from the alternatives created by formulating more liberal investment polices free of political considerations. Today China seconded by Turkey own huge investments in Ethiopia and other African countries particularly in the commanding heights of the economy of these countries.
For instance, According to reports from Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, bilateral trade volume between Turkey and Ethiopia amounted to 398,8 million USD in 2019 (exports were 378,3 million USD and imports were 27,5 million USD), and to 272 million USD in 2020 (exports were 231 million and imports were 41 million USD). According to the Investment Commission Turkish companies have invested about 2.5 billion USD in Ethiopia in textiles and other investment sectors making the biggest investment undertaking next to the Peoples Republic of China. What are the main determinants behind such faster development of trade and investment relations?
Ethiopia’s geopolitical position and foreign policy objectives as a factor in Ethio- Turkish relations
Strategically located on the Horn of Africa and a gateway to Europe, Asia and the Middle East Ethiopia, although known for the subsequent drought and food shortage among the western countries with a population of over 100 million and potential center of investment relations and powerhouse for vast renewable energy resources have now become a power to reckon with. Ethiopia is now well rooted and positioned in Africa and the AU as a bulwark of peace and stability in the continent and as a major UNSC and AU peace keeping which Turkey and other countries are already well aware of.
Ethiopia is the pivotal power in a conflict ridden Horn of Africa in which multiple conflicts have continued to proliferate bogging down the country into internal ethnic based conspiracies and conflicts, huge international pressure attempting to disrupt the peaceful development of the country. A constellation of conspiracies by the western countries, including EU and the US, Egypt and Sudan over GERD, terrorist TPLF’s war of destabilization and economic sabotage. At this point in time, Turkey is one of the countries that has offered to support Ethiopia in every aspect.
Although Egypt and Sudan have repeatedly attempted to persuade Turkey to exert pressure on Ethiopia to halt the construction of GERD, Ankara refused to take their demands noting that the issue needs to be resolved by the efforts of the three countries concerned.
On the other hand, Turkey is amongst the countries that have widened the scope of their foreign policy in the last decade by following a multi-directional approach. Within this strategic framework, the Horn of Africa is one of the main regions in which the Turkish state has increased its presence.
Djibouti is now hosting military bases for USA which is also hosting Britain, France hosting German and Spanish Navy, Italy, Japan hosting India, China. Saudi Arabia and India are also working to have a base in Djibouti. The fact that the major powers have installed their naval bases in Djibouti is of primary concern for Ethiopia and Turkey. Turkey had wider humanitarian engagements in Somalia and establishing multiple areas of diplomatic and military relations with Ethiopia is geared towards counterbalancing the power rivalry in the region which is of course advantageous for Ethiopia’s security interests.
Ethiopia seeks to ensure uninterrupted access to the Ports of Djibouti and Berbera and is already working on establishing its own base in Djibouti joining the other countries. With the cancellation of military agreement with France, Ethiopia swiftly replaced it with another military agreement with Turkey who might support Ethiopia’s naval base program.
Although Ethiopia is at loggerheads with Sudan and Egypt, Turkey is interested in maintaining better relations with the two countries and Ethiopia can counterbalance its relations with Turkey to help keep away the conspiracies that both Sudan and Egypt are conducting in training and providing logistics support to terrorist TPLF and other anti-Ethiopia groupings in the country. Turkey has offered to mediate the border disputes between Ethiopia and Sudan.
The agreements signed between Ethiopia and Turkey has mutual benefits for both countries through expansion of trade and investment and is also vital for Turkey to use Ethiopia as a showcase for expanding her relations with the rest of Africa. Besides, the military cooperation between the two countries will help to balance the power rivalry among the western countries to control the sea route from the Red Sea to Bab-el Mendeb and the Indian Ocean. Turkey has the capacity to help build the Ethiopian navy tasked with ascertaining the security of shipping lines for Ethiopian vessels that transport vital development commodities for Ethiopia via the Red Sea. Turkey can also help to improve Ethiopia’s relations with Arab League member countries and further strengthen the age old relations with countries of the Middle East and Persian Gulf.
Ethio- Turkish relations a factor for stability on the Horn of Africa
While the western powers and the US are busy hatching conspiracies in the Horn of Africa, the diplomatic, military, commercial and cultural relations between Turkey and Ethiopia will help to curtail the proliferation of terrorism in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia can now avail itself of the transfer of Turkish military and civil technologies to accelerate the development programs of the country. Through the recent agreements inked between the two countries, Ethiopia can benefit from Turkish experience in energy and water development the outputs of which could be shared with the rest of Africa in economic integration which would promote peace building in the African continent.
Source: Ethiopia News Agency