Turkish Aid Allocation in Turbulent Times: Changes and Continuities in Turkish Aid Modality

Year 2023, , 135 - 160, 30.10.2023

Hikmet Mengüaslan

https://doi.org/10.26745/ahbvuibfd.1363763

Abstract

This paper investigates how Turkey has adjusted its foreign aid behavior over international and domestic shifts after the July 15 Coup Attempt. There have recently been exceptional developments in international/regional power structures whereby Turkey has a centrality, e.g., the war between Ukraine and Russia. Similarly, main pillars of Turkey’s foreign policy have been modified, best exemplified in increasingly strong sings of insecurity and lack of trust between Turkey and its erstwhile strategic partners. More importantly for Turkish aid allocation, a new framework – ‘Turkish-type Development Assistance Model’ (TDAM) has been introduced in late 2010s. As a result, the structural context in the early 2000s which has assisted Turkey in ascending the donor ranks has been gradually giving way to more ambiguous and elusive outlook for many types of international cooperation including foreign aid. To this background, the paper utilizes an interpretive analytical framework based on the critical analysis of key statements as well as on descriptive statistical analysis of databases (such as OECD and TIKA), and compares discursive, practical, and institutional patterns of Turkish aid allocation between the periods of 2003-2015 and 2016-2022 with the purpose of identifying the changes and continuities in Turkish development assistance with a macro-lens. It is concluded that given the growing polarization and competition in development landscape, TDAM should be seen as a robust and operational alternative for the maintenance of ‘relevant and impactful development assistance’ by embodying practical ways of ensuring mutual development without a secret agenda.

Keywords

Foreign Aid, Turkish Foreign Policy, Turkish-type Development Assistance Model, Justice and Development Party

Çalkantılı Zamanlarda Türkiye’nin Yardım Tahsisi: Türkiye’nin Yardım Yönteminde Değişimler ve Süreklilikler

Abstract

Bu çalışma, 15 Temmuz Darbe Girişimi sonrası uluslararası ve yerel değişimler karşısında Türkiye’nin dış yardım davranışlarını nasıl uyarladığını incelemiştir. Türkiye’nin merkezi bir konumda olduğu uluslararası/bölgesel güç yapılarında son dönemde sıra dışı gelişmeler, örneğin Rusya ve Ukrayna arasındaki savaş gibi – yaşanmaktadır. Benzer şekilde, Türkiye ve bir zamanlar stratejik ortakları arasında büyümekte olan güvensizlik ve emniyetsizlik emarelerinden de anlaşılacağı gibi Türkiye’nin dış politika temel yapılarında değişimler gerçekleşmektedir. Türk yardım tahsisi konusunda daha da önemli bir gelişme olarak 2010’ların sonunda yeni bir çerçeve – Türk Tipi Kalkınma Yardımı Modeli (TKYM) ortaya konulmuştur. Sonuçta 2000’lerin başında Türkiye’nin bağışçı ülke konumunda ilerlemesine imkân veren yapısal ortam dış yardım da dahil olmak üzere birçok uluslararası işbirliği biçimi için giderek daha belirsiz ve zorlu bir duruma doğru evrilmektedir. Bu bağlamda, çalışma eleştirel söylem analizi ve veri tabanlarından (OECD ve TİKA gibi) elde edilen verilerin betimleyici istatistiksel analizine dayalı yorumsamacı bir çerçeve kullanmış ve kalkınma yardımı alanındaki süreklilik ve değişimleri makro perspektiften tanımlamak amacıyla 2003-2015 ve 2016-2022 dönemleri arasındaki yardımların söylemsel, pratik ve kurumsal örüntülerini karşılaştırmıştır. Çalışmada varılan sonuca göre kalkınma mimarisinde gelişen kutuplaşma ve rekabetçilik göz önüne alındığında, TKYM kalkınma yardımlarının bağıntılı ve etkili olabilmesi doğrultusunda gizli gündemler olmadan, ortak kalkınmanın pratik yollarını temsil etmesi bakımından güçlü ve işlevsel bir alternatif olarak görülebilir.

Keywords

Dış Yardım, Türk Dış Politikası, Türk Tipi Kalkınma Yardımı Modeli, Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi

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