Turkey, Iran, Morocco contend for greater role in Sahel

Morocco, Iran, and Turkey are competing for a larger economic and military role in the Sahel region of Africa after France’s withdrawal. Military regimes in the Sahel region are tempted to purchase Turkish military weapons and Moroccan and Iranian economic and infrastructure projects. Since 2020, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have had coups, leading to a joint defense alliance to combat the Islamist faction. Ankara is building a trans-Saharan route connecting the Gulf of Guinea with Algeria and supplying powerful combat drones. Turkey aims to increase its visibility and prestige abroad and position itself as an alternative to Europe and Russia. Economic growth in Morocco and urban planning initiatives in Iran pose a threat to Turkey in the Sahel. Morocco announced in September that it was prepared to share its road, port, and rail infrastructure with landlocked Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali. Iran and Burkina Faso have inked multiple cooperation agreements in energy, urban planning, higher education, and construction sectors. However, Iran’s approach to Africa is defined by revolutionary language and anti-imperialist logic, which captivates formerly colonized nations.