Analysis of Turkey-Africa Economic Relations in the terms of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AFCFTA)

Although the African continent boasts the most fertile lands and mildest climates in the world, it is home to countries that achieved freedom relatively late and had the honor of building their civilizations following the approximately 500-year-long colonial period. Like every country gaining independence, these nations have entered into various agreements, established organizations, and developed cooperation at continental, regional, and bilateral levels. While some of these collaborations have been successful, others have not met expectations, and overall, these initiatives have yet to yield results that would elevate the entirety of Africa. The African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA), established with a signed agreement in 2018, aims to establish and develop economic, social, and political unity and relations among every country conciseness, except Eritrea, which will impact the continent's fate. To achieve significant economic growth and development by 2060, the AfCFTA holds great importance for Turkey, acting as a historical, geographical, economic, and political bridge between the continents of Asia, Europe, and Africa. Unlike the European Union, which Turkey missed the opportunity to join in the past, the African Union represents a train that has not yet departed. Obtaining a ticket for this train involves establishing a permanent peace and trade environment with continuous win-win policies. Although Turkey is not currently a member of the AfCFTA, it is expected to play a significant role in developing close trade relations with the agreement. This study aims to examine how economic relations between Africa and Turkey, as well as the continent's relations with Turkey and various international actors, will be shaped and in what direction after the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA). The study employs an exploratory research method to examine Turkey-Africa economic relations before and after the AfCFTA. In this context, the study is conducted by supporting the analyses made with collected online resources through a literature review and occasionally complementing them with case studies. For this purpose, appropriate studies were selected from hundreds and evaluated within the scope of the thesis. Subsequently, Turkey-Africa economic relations were analyzed, and the total export and import data from the TradeMap database for the 2015-2020 period were compared and interpreted with the complete export and import data for the 2021-2022 period to observe the effect of the AfCFTA on economic relations between the two sides. Contrary to Turkey's prolonged expectation of European Union membership, the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) is evaluated with the potential for a future partnership based on mutual respect, trust, and the win-win principle. Despite the risks and disadvantages associated with its realization, it should be emphasized that Turkey remains and will continue to be a significant factor in the eyes of countries on the African continent. This study, introducing the African continent in all its aspects, summarizes Turkish-African relations up to the present day and aims to explain expected developments. It examines the background of the AfCFTA, developments related to other unions in the past, and how the continent's relations with Turkey will be shaped after the AfCFTA, as well as with various international actors. The modest contribution of this study to the literature is that it is the first dissertation to examine the possible effects of the AfCFTA with actual data obtained from the TradeMap database.