Turkey's international development framework case study: Somalia

Official URL: http://ipc.sabanciuniv.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/SOMALIISBN11.pdf

This policy report provides an overview of Turkey’s development and humanitarian approaches in the territories of Somalia. For the past three decades, Turkey has been an active participant in multilateral peace efforts in a diversity of conflict-affected states such as Bosnia, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Traditionally Turkey has offered assistance to peacekeeping and military initiatives particularly through the United Nations and NATO. Since early 2000, however, Turkey’s approach to conflict-affected countries has shifted away from being primarily military to an increasingly civilian capacity focus. In its role as an emerging power, Turkey has stepped onto the development platform long dominated by “Western” donors. This shift reflects the change in foreign policy under the guidance of Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu’s visionary leadership. As a majority Muslim state that is emboldened with a pluralistic democratic constitution, Turkey has resisted aspects of the traditional Western framework. Instead, civilian development actors have been engaged in a hybrid model through which Turkey’s own unique global perspective and positioning is reflected. There is growing international interest in Turkey’s regional leadership and in particular, its influence upon the Horn of Africa. This report analyzes Turkey’s development efforts in Somalia and investigates its alternative strategy for working within a stagnant conflict-affected state.