Soft Power Before Hard Power: What Türkiye's Charity Foundations Are Really Building In The West African Sub region
Türkiye is expanding its influence in West Africa through a multi-layered approach involving religious philanthropy, humanitarian aid, and educational institutions. This 'soft power' strategy often precedes formal military and economic cooperation agreements.
Across West Africa, from the Sahelian interior of Mali and Niger to the coastal states of Ghana, Togo and Nigeria, a common pattern has quietly repeated itself over the past two decades. A Turkish-funded mosque or school appears in a city. A development agency drills boreholes and renovates clinics. Scholarships send local students to Istanbul and Ankara.
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