2016 FETO coup attempt: A bad day turned into a good day for Turkey-Africa relations The FETO terrorists attempted to overthrow Turkey's...
2016 FETO coup attempt: A bad day turned into a good day for Turkey-Africa relations
The FETO terrorists attempted to overthrow Turkey's democratically elected government seven years ago.
Some Fetullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO)-aligned rebel Turkish soldiers made an attempt to topple the nation's democratically elected government on the evening of July 15, 2016.
The nation was misled on that dreadful night, which went down in history as the worst in Turkish politics.
Nobody was able to foresee what would happen first.
The military-backed terrorists continued to fire on the citizens they were supposed to be defending.
For hours, warplanes continued to fly overhead, dropping bombs on civilians and confusing the populace.
A single night's worth of betrayal by the FETO terrorists resulted in the deaths of 249 people across Turkey, while 2,196 more were injured, primarily in Istanbul and Ankara.
When Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appealed to the populace via internet and private television to notify them of what was happening at midnight, the situation shifted.
To protect democracy and the survival of their nation, the president urged his people to band together, take to the streets, and confront the coup plotters.
The government assassinated FETO members who worked for departments and organisations within the government in response to President Erdogan's appeal and in an effort to confront the terrorists.
Seven years later, Turkey's democracy is still expanding and the nation's prospects are still getting better.
Considering Africa
The coup attempt by FETO was thwarted by the army as a consequence of the people's defiance and resistance, and Turkey's foreign policy underwent a change, particularly in how the nation engages with African nations.
The FETO terrorists have escaped to numerous foreign nations, particularly the United States, where Fethullah Gulen, the group's head, is currently on vacation and has been directing his followers for more than 30 years.
African nations have also observed how the FETO terrorists continue to congregate there, meeting with their followers while carrying out dubious activities, like erecting schools.
Turkey has been getting in touch with African nations to warn them of the threats posed by the terrorist group within their borders as part of its campaign to defeat the FETO terrorist group and cut off all of its financing sources.
At various points, President Erdogan has warned African leaders about the risks posed by FETO in their nations, warning them that the group would one day become the poster child for events akin to what transpired in Turkey on the night of the 15th of July 2016.
Mevlut Cavusoglu, Turkey's then-foreign minister, also met with a number of his counterparts from African nations and described to them how FETO attempted to destroy the democratically elected government in the nation.
He described the danger posed by this group in the nations where its members have sought asylum.
African nations have been urged by Turkish authorities to deport or turn over FETO terrorists and transfer control of the schools they oversee to the Maarif Foundation, which the government formed for the benefit of the populace.
a strong partnership with Africa
The activities of other nations seeking to improve relations with other nations can learn from Turkey's endeavour and struggle to develop ties and solidarity with the African continent.
Many African leaders participated in the December 17–21, 2021, Africa–Turkey Cooperation Summit.
In his remarks at the gathering, President Erdogan emphasised the importance of cooperation and pleaded for the support and cooperation of African leaders.
Without expecting payment, Turkish organisations like TIKA, Yunus Emre, and Maarif Foundation have completed numerous projects in Africa in the areas of infrastructure, health, and education.
When comparing countries' incomes, Turkey is the first country in the world to offer humanitarian aid.
Many of Turkey's corporations have opened branches in Africa, and the continent's nations have seen how Turkey is investing more directly in them.
Over $30 billion has been invested between Turkey and Africa.
President Erdogan explained to attendees of the third Turkey-Africa Economic Summit in Istanbul, which took place between October 21 and 22, 2021, that "our goal is to increase the amount of investment in Africa to one billion dollars $50, and an additional $75 billion."
According to Professor Yunus Turhan, the head of the Hac Bayram-Veli University's Centre for Operations and Research on the Black Sea and the African Sector, this commercial partnership has strengthened Turkey's ties to Africa.
Turhan stated to TRT Af