Turkey news roundup – Dec. 12, 2019

Eastern Mediterranean Developments

On November 29th, Turkey and the Libyan government signed an agreement establishing maritime boundaries between the two countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. The move was criticized by other regional actors including Greece and Egypt and increases tensions over longstanding regional maritime disputes. Disputes have intensified in recent years as international actors seek to explore and exploit the region’s natural gas resources.

For more on the Atlantic Council IN TURKEY’s previous work on the East Med, check out the links below.

Migration

The largest refugee hosting country in the world, Turkey hosts over 3.5 million Syrian refugees as a result of the war in Syria. According to the Turkish government, Turkey has spent upwards of $40 billion in humanitarian relief for refugees. At the same time, Turkey has complained that the international community has provided little support and avoided burden sharing. The 6 billion euro allocated by the EU is provided on a project-basis to international organizations working in Turkey.

For more on the Atlantic Council IN TURKEY’s previous work on migration, check out the links below.

Africa

In the past 15 years, Turkey has pursued a robust of policy of expanding diplomatic and economic relations with Africa. Over that period, Turkey’s bilateral trade with the African continent has increased nearly five fold to $23.8 billion while Turkey has established embassies in 43 African countries.

For more on the Atlantic Council IN TURKEY’s previous work on Africa, check out the links below.

The Atlantic Council in Turkey promotes dialogue through research and programming addressing critical issues around energy, economics, migration, and security.

Image: Turkish drilling vessel Yavuz sets sail in Izmit Bay, on its way to the Mediterranean Sea, off the port of Dilovasi, Turkey, June 20, 2019. Picture taken June 20, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer