Turkey, Iran, and Morocco are competing to play a role in Africa.
Following the forced withdrawal of France, the former colonial power, from the troubled Sahel region of Africa, Turkey, Iran, and Morocco are striving to gain a larger economic and military role in this part of Africa.
According to the French news agency, Turkey’s military equipment and Morocco and Iran’s development and infrastructure projects are enticing to the military regimes in this region, which are struggling with cash shortages and the extremism of jihadist groups.
Since 2020, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have experienced coups amidst the bloody insurgency of jihadist movements.
Since then, their military rulers have exited the broader West African bloc and have created a joint defense pact to fight against jihadists.