National and regional factors in Ethiopia-Türkiye security relations: Post-2011

This study explored the security relations of Ethiopia and Türkiye, with the main objective of identifying the national and regional factors of the two countries' security relations in post- 2011. Using qualitative data collected from primary and secondary sources, this case study explored the bilateral security relations between the two countries. As the study identified, while reforming the Ethiopian National Defense Force and the two-year deadly Tigray conflict are key national determinants of Ethiopia, the tension in the Eastern Nile basin over the GERD and the threat of terrorism in the Horn of Africa are the major regional influences of Ethiopia, contributing to the close security relations with Türkiye. Similarly, Turkish national and regional dynamics played a crucial role in the transformation of Ethio-Turkish security relations in the post-2011 period. The change in Turkish foreign policy approach from zero problems with neighbors to proactive, the securitization of the 2016 failed coup d'etat, and the expansion of the private Turkish defense industry are key national factors. Regionally, the study identified the outbreak of the Arab Spring, the presence of expanded Turkish investment in the Horn of Africa, and fighting terrorism in the Horn of Africa as vital determinants of Türkiye that contributed to its close security relations with Ethiopia. The security relationship between Ethiopia and Türkiye is based on informal agreements in the absence of entrapments and compromises of each other's sovereignty, which makes their security relationship is a quasi-alliance. Thus, the study utilized quasi-alliance as its conceptual tool to analyze the security relations between Ethiopia and Türkiye in the post-2011 period. Key Words- Ethiopia, Türkiye, Security, Relations, Quasi-alliance, National, Regional