“The Drone and the Koran”, Turkey’s levers for establishing itself in Africa

FRANCE 24 – SATURDAY JANUARY 17 – 10:10 P.M.

“Whoever wants peace prepares for war. » Very used at the moment, the formula is pronounced by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, at the opening of the 17^e International Defense Exhibition, held in Istanbul from July 22 to 27, 2025. Backpack on his shoulder, smiling, General Patrick Moyeuvre, former French defense attaché in Turkey, provides the guided tour and explains: Turkish armament has gone from 20% to 80% autonomy, to the full satisfaction of the 27 representatives of African countries, who made the trip.

In ten years, Turkey has become Africa’s fourth arms supplier. In the civil sector, Turkish Airlines is now the continent’s leading airline. How can we explain this control, more discreet than that of Russia and China? Journalist Karina Chabour investigated for ten months, in Türkiye, Mali, Ethiopia and Senegal. She brings back a solid, substantiated documentary, which reveals the levers activated by Erdogan to weave his web in Africa.

First lever therefore, combat drones, such as the TB3 and TB2, one of the best-selling in the world, including in Ukraine. They are produced by Baykar, a company run by the four Bayraktar brothers – one of whom married Erdogan’s daughter… In its wake, Turkish industries have been established, such as Biga Home, a mattress and furniture factory inaugurated in Dakar (Senegal) in September 2023 in the presence of the Turkish ambassador to Senegal, Hatice Nur Sagman. The latter declared to the journalist: “Over there, they call me Mama Africa, that shows how much I love Africa! »

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