Understanding Turkish Soft Power in Africa: The Deepening of Kenya-Türkiye Relations 2000–2022

Abstract

Türkiye has become an assertive player in soft power politics since Joseph Nye coined the term and its subsequent adoption by leaders as a coherent external relations strategy. Focusing on Africa from the beginning of 2000, Türkiye has built its structures of influence and steadily expanded its persuasion on the continent. The wielding of Türkiye’s soft power in Africa is yet to receive sufficient academic attention. This study attempts to contextualise the extent of Türkiye’s attractive power using the flourishing social economic relations with Kenya as a case study. Soft power is necessary in enhancing people-to-people relations, knowledge and information sharing, improvement of trade networks, and staging of coalitions against global threats.

Key Words:

• Kenya-Turkey relations
• socio-economic relations
• Turkey-Africa relations
• soft power
• national interests