A changing geopolitical landscape, with decreasing US and European engagement in Africa, could favour Turkey and its ambition to gain influence on the continent, according to Federico Donelli, Turkey expert and researcher at the University of Trieste.

The Trump government’s decision to cut funds to the US Agency for International Development, provides an opportunity for Turkey to exert soft power through humanitarian aid, Donelli says.

Furthermore, in the Sahel region, where France has withdrawn troops which fought Islamist insurgencies, not only Russia but also Turkey is emerging as an increasingly important security actor, according to Donelli.