Turkey extends its presence in the Gulf of Aden
Turkish President Recep Tayipp Erdogan has sent a memorandum to parliament requesting a one-year extension of Turkey's military presence in the Gulf of Aden enclave, as well as in the Arabian Sea and Somali territorial waters.
After initialling by the House, the measure will enter into force on 10 February. Experts point out that this decision is a reminder to Saudi Arabia that, despite the de-escalation of tensions between the two countries, Turkey intends to maintain an important role in these three areas.
First approved in 2008, the measure has subsequently been extended a total of 13 times by the Turkish parliament, all at the request of the presidency. The latest extension was approved just over a year ago, on 4 February 2020.
The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution allowing states to cooperate with Somalia's transitional government for six months and to enter the country's territorial waters in June 2008.
The text was adopted with Somalia's consent, but the country has been trying to achieve stability ever since. Immersed in counter-terrorism, Indian Ocean piracy and internal division, Somalia is in the throes of a deep crisis.
The Gulf of Aden, located on Yemen's southern coast, lies close to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. It serves as a link between the Gulf of Aden itself and the Red Sea, as well as separating the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
Its strategic importance lies, however, in the fact that it is the fourth largest strait in the world for the transit of oil. For this reason, control of the area is key for the states in the region.
The murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents in October 2018 tarnished relations between Turkey and Saudi Arabia. However, two years after the accusations, ties between Ankara and Riyadh appear to be on the verge of a return to cordiality, thanks in part to the role of Qatar.
However, some experts point to a double track initiated by the Turkish government. Behind the signs of rapprochement in recent weeks, Turkey is upping the ante in its bid to maintain a hegemonic role in the region. Proof of this is the extension of its presence in the Gulf of Aden.
This decision would allow Erdogan to 'kill two birds with one stone', according to analysts. On the one hand, to take strategic control of the Bab el-Mandeb strait and, on the other, to maintain chaos in Yemen until clear strategic support in the country is secured.
Turkish support for Muslim Brotherhood-linked groups and militias in Yemen is another factor that has hindered the achievement of the Riyadh Agreement. Saudi Arabia blames Erdogan for making a peace deal in the country impossible.
Tension with Turkey prevents, for the time being, the promotion of a formula that would guarantee Riyadh's national security objectives in Yemen and restrict Iranian influence in the region.
However, the conflict of interests does not end there. Turkey's latest moves obstruct the interests of Saudi Arabia and its Gulf neighbours in the Horn of Africa. Both seek to secure positions in the enclaves of Somalia and Djibouti. This move would also allow them to dominate imports and exports on the continent.
Recent reports indicate that Turkey has established a large military base in Mogadishu for troop training, as well as the establishment of soft power in Djibouti through economic boosts to local industry.
The aim of these moves is, according to experts, to stem a series of economic losses caused by President Erdogan's bad policies. The Turkish leader is trying to make up for his government's capital mistakes during the pandemic months.