Kazakhstan in Africa: An Economic Diplomacy within Distant Neighborhood Foreign Policy

Year 2021, Volume: 10 Issue: 2, 1251 - 1273, 30.06.2021

Volkan İpek , Gulnara Dadayabeva Aigul Adibayeva

https://doi.org/10.15869/itobiad.869871

Abstract

Since the fifteenth century, Africa has always been subject to global attention. European states benefitted from the lands and labor force in Africa during the Atlantic slave trade and colonialism periods. Individuals from different tribes in Africa were forced to leave their homelands in return for forced labor in chiefly the American continent. Besides, European states partitioned the lands of Africa within colonialism that was officially launched in the 1884-85 Berlin Conference. In addition to their ongoing interests in Africa upon the launch of independence movements by the mid-1950s, states out of Europe such as the United States of America (USA), the Soviet Union, India, China, and Brazil have approached Africa for political and ideological reasons. In terms of political reasons, Africa has been regarded as one of the main venues to construct a sphere of influence and to position around these states’ national interests. In terms of ideological reasons, on the other hand, the Soviet Union and the USA tried to support African states in order to provide sustainable protection from each other during the Cold War. Once it appeared that this involvement brought economic gains thereafter, Africa has attracted many other states. Among them is Kazakhstan, who declared an opening to African states by the 2050 Strategy which was announced in 2012. Under the guidance of not only the Kazakh state but also the Kazakh private enterprises, Kazakhstan has been implementing an economic opening to Africa. Accordingly, it is stated in the article that Kazakhstan’s opening to Africa by the 2050 Strategy is an example of how economic diplomacy within the Kazakh distant neighborhood foreign policy has been implemented. In this context, this economic dimension between Kazakhstan and Africa through economic cooperation, investment and trade on the basis of a theoretical debate about economic diplomacy has been tried to show.  

Keywords

Kazakhstan, Africa, Economic Diplomacy, Near Neighborhood Foreign Policy, Far Neighborhood Foreign Policy

Thanks

Yeditepe University and KIMEP University

Afrika’da Kazakistan: Uzak Komşuluk Dış Politikası İçinde Bir Ekonomik Diplomasi

Abstract

On beşinci yüzyıldan beri Afrika küresel bir ilginin öznesi durumundadır. Bu bağlamda Avrupalı devletler Atlantik Köle Ticareti döneminde Afrika’nın iş gücünden, sömürgecilik döneminde ise Afrika’nın topraklarından kendi çıkarları adına yararlanmışlardır. Atlantik Köle Ticareti boyunca Afrika’daki halkların bireyleri zor kullanarak yerlerinden edilmiş, çalıştırılmak için özellikle Amerika kıtasına gönderilmişlerdir. Bunun yanında Avrupalı devletler 1884-85 Berlin Konferansı’nda resmileştirdikleri sömürgecilik yönetimlerini Afrika topraklarını kendi aralarında paylaşarak gerçekleştirmişlerdir. 1950’li yılların ortalarında başlayan bağımsızlık hareketlerinde bile devam eden bu ilginin üzerine Avrupa devletlerinin dışında kalan Amerika Birleşik Devletleri, Sovyetler Birliği, Hindistan, Çin, Rusya ve Brezilya gibi devletler de siyasi ve ideolojik birtakım nedenlerle Afrika’ya yakınlık duymaya başlamışlardır. Siyasi nedenler olarak Afrika ülkeleri üzerinde nüfuz elde etmek ve onları kendi çıkarları çevresinde konumlandırmak örnek gösterilebilir. İdeolojik nedenler olarak ise özellikle Soğuk Savaş sırasındaki sosyalizm/kapitalizm rekabeti içinde Afrika’dan taraftar toplama örnek gösterilebilir. Gerek Sovyetler Birliği gerekse Amerika Birleşik Devletleri Soğuk Savaş döneminde Afrika ülkelerini birbirlerine karşı bir destek bulmak amacıyla desteklemiştir. Bu ilginin daha sonradan söz konusu devletlere ekonomik çıkarlar sağladığı görüldüğünde ise Afrika diğer devletleri de kendine çekmiştir. Bunlardan biri 2012 yılında 2050 Stratejisini ilan ederek Afrika’ya açılan Kazakistan’dır. Elde edilen ve makalede gösterilen bulgulara göre sadece Kazak devletinin değil, aynı zamanda Kazak şirketlerinin de rehberliğinde gerçekleşen Kazakistan’ın Afrika ülkelerine açılımında ekonomik boyut temel alınmıştır. Bu bağlamda makale Kazakistan’ın 2050 Stratejisi’yle başlayan Afrika açılımının Kazak devletinin uzak komşuluk dış politikası içindeki ekonomik diplomasisinin bir uygulaması olduğunu vurgulamaktadır. Buna göre makale Kazakistan’ın Afrika ile 2012 yılından beri süregelen ilişkisini ekonomik diplomasi kuramında açıklayıp bu ilişkiyi ekonomik iş birliği, yatırımlar ve ticaret başlıklarında incelemektedir. 

Keywords

Kazakistan, Afrika, Ekonomik Diplomasi, Yakın Komşuluk Dış Politikası, Uzak Komşuluk Dış Politikası

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