Struggle for Influence: Russia and Türkiye's Sahel Policies (2019–2024)

The landscape of competitive and cooperative interactions between global and regional actors are undergoing continuous diversification. In the 21st century, the African continent has emerged as a primary focus for these actors, with Russia and Türkiye being two countries that have made significant advancements in their African policies in recent years. Russia’s intensified interest in Africa became particularly evident during the late 1990s. Similarly, Türkiye has developed a comprehensive African strategy since the early 2000s. The aim of this research is to comparatively analyze the Sahel policies of Türkiye and Russia between 2019 and 2024, highlighting areas of competition and cooperation between the two actors in the region. The central research question guiding this study is: To what extent are Türkiye’s and Russia’s engagements in the Sahel region driven by rivalry, cooperation, or a broader struggle for influence? To address this question, the study examines the military, economic, and political engagements of both states with Sahelian countries, drawing upon a range of official sources, statistical data, and institutional reports. The findings suggest that while both nations seek to expand their presence, they employ notably different strategies, Türkiye favoring soft power and longterm partnerships, and Russia relying more on hard power and operational relationships. These different approaches yield critical information about the changing nature of great power competition in Africa’s most contested sub-region.