The New Scramble: Turkey, Somalia and the Battle for the Red Sea

In August 2011, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his family travelled to Mogadishu amidst a gruelling famine, becoming the first non-African head of state to visit Somalia in almost two decades. Rallying humanitarian support, Erdoğan’s visit spurred an outpouring of affection for Turkey, w