Saudi Arabia’s Geopolitical Influence in West Africa: Opportunities and Challenges

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 12 Sayı: 2

Mouhamed Bachır Dıop

https://doi.org/10.26513/tocd.1717402

Öz

Throughout history, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Africa have maintained a close relationship. The significance of Saudi-African relations has grown alongside the political events that directly and indirectly affect both parties' internal and regional stages. Due to its substantial political influence on the continent, West Africa is characterized as a zone where various powers may compete. Opportunities and challenges vary for several reasons, including the distinct characteristics and capacities of the rival powers in the West African region. In light of multilateral international rivalry, this article aims to assess the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's impact in West Africa while exploring potential future prospects and obstacles.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Foreign Policy , International Competition , Saudi Arabia , West Africa

Kaynakça

• Abodohoui, A. & Sua, Z. (2020). The Influence of Chinese Managerial Soft Power on African Skills Development. International Business Review.
• Africa Oil Week (2023). Understanding Chinese Investment in African Oil and Gas. https://africa-oilweek.com/articles/understanding-chinese-investment-in-african.
• African Development Bank Group (2022). West Africa Economic Outlook 2022.
• Aïda Ammour, L. (2018). La Pénétration wahhabite en Afrique. Centre Français de Recherche sur le Renseignement.
• Alesina, A. (2023). Religion and educational mobility in Africa. Nature, 618, 134-148.
• Alghannam, H. (2024). Influence Abroad: Saudi Arabia Replaces Salafism in its Soft Power Outreach. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
• Aloufi, A. & Kim, H. (2024). Transition to a friendly neighbor: Saudi Arabia's Aid Odyssey. The Korean Journal of International Studies, 22(3), 311-335.
• Anadolu Agency (2017). Saudi Arabia pledges $100 million in Sahel terror fight, 2017. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/economy/saudi-arabia-pledges-100-million-in-sahel-terror-fight/1004235.
• Ani, K. J. (2022). Saudi Arabian-African Partnership: Focus on Evolution and Diplomatic Possibilities. Journal of African Foreign Affairs, 9(2) , 127-140.
• Augé, B. (2018). L’Afrique de l’Ouest courtisée par le Qatar et ses rivaux du Golfe. Le Monde. https://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2018/01/04/l-afrique-de-l-ouest-courtisee-par-le-qatar-et-ses-rivaux-du-golfe_5237567_3212.html.
• Auge, B. (2020). Saudi Arabia's Policy in Africa: Vectors and Objectives. L’Afrique en Question 52, Ifri, France: Paris.
• Bahi, R. (2019). Iran-Saudi Rivalry in Africa: Implications for Regional Stability. Middle East Policy, 25(4), 26-40. Bamakhrama, D. S. (2023). Saudi Arabia Can Play Key Role in Africa’s Promising Future. https://arab.news/bb9ky.
• Belhaj, F. (2024). Africa and the Middle East: The Shift from Geopolitics to Geoeconomics. Policy Center for the New South, Policy Brief - N° 48/24, Morocco: Rabat.
• Bellion-Jourdan, J. (2001). Les Organisations de Secours Islamique et l’Action Humanitaire. Esprit, 277(8/9), 173-185.
• Billat, C. (2015). The funding of Humanitarian Action by Non-Western Donors. The Sustainability of Gulf States Contribution, Dissertation Master of Advanced Studies in Humanitarian Action, CERAH working paper.
• Brooke-Holland, L. (2023). Coups and Political Stability in West Africa, House of Commons Library Research Briefing. https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-9861/CBP-9861.pdf .
• Chaziza, M. & Lutmar, C. (2025). Saudi Arabia’s Niche Diplomacy: A Middle Power’s Strategy for Global Influence. World 2025, 6(65), 1-17.
• Choudhury, D. R. (2022). Equatorial Guinea: New backdrop for Sino-US rivalry, The Economic Times. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/equatorial-guinea-new-backdrop-for-sino-us-rivalry/articleshow/90354940.cms?from=mdr .
• Cour, J & Snrech, S. (1998). Preparing for the Future: A Vision of West Africa in the Year 2020, West Africa Long-Term Perspective Study, OECD, France: Paris.
• Czerminska, M. & Garlińska-Bielawska, J. (2018). European Union, West Africa Trade Relations: With or without Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), Annuals of the Administration and Law, 17 (2),103-120.
• Czornik, K. (2024). The Role of Soft Power in Shaping Saudi Arabia’s Regional and Global Position. Przegląd Strategiczny, 17,189-200.
• El-Badawy, E. (2023). Security, Soft Power and Regime Support: Spheres of Russian Influence in Africa. Tony Blair Institute for Global Change.
• ESG voices podcast series (2022). Becoming a sustainable energy powerhouse. https://assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmg/xx/pdf/2022/10/becoming-a-sustainable-energy-powerhouse.pdf.
• Frazier, D. V. and Stewart-Ingersoll, R. (2010). Regional Powers and Security: A Framework for Understanding Order within Regional Security Complexes. European Journal of International Relations, 16(4), 731-753.
• Freitag, U. (2022). The Projection of Saudi Arabian Influence in West Africa. De Gruyte, 174-205. Grégoire, E. and Schmitz, J. (2000). Monde arabe et Afrique noire : permanences et nouveaux liens. Autrepart, 16, 1-16.
• Gresh, A. (1983). L’Arabie Saoudite en Afrique non arabe. Puissance Islamique ou Relais de l’Occident? Politique Africaine, 10, 55-74.
• Gurjar, S. (2023). How Russia and China are Challenging Western Domination in West Africa, India Narrative. https://www.indianarrative.com/opinion-news/how-russia-and-china-are-challenging-western-domination-in-west-africa-139677.html.
• Habtoor, A. & Al-Harthi, G. (2023). Saudi Arabia and Africa. Laying the Foundations for Continental Integration and a Sustainable Future. https://aawsat.com//4660536- .
• Kappel, R. (2021). Robert Kappel, Redefining Europe-Africa Relations, Friedrıch-Ebert-Stiftung. https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/bruessel/17306.pdf .
• Kepe, et. al., (2023). Great-Power Competition and Conflict in Africa. Rand Corporation, Santa Monica: Calif.
• Kepel, G. (2002). Jihad: The Trail of Political Islam. Harvard University Press.
• Khemiri, S. (2022). L’assistance Humanitaire et l’Aide au Développement de l’Arabie Saoudite à l’Afrique Subsaharienne : Entre Charité, Prédication et Intérêts Politiques, Global Studies Institute de l’Université de Genève Collection.
• Kinkoh, H. (2024). Gulf states’ trade and investment relations. Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy,
• Konopka, N. O. and Strykhotskyi, T. L. (2021). Cultural Diplomacy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Context of the Vision 2030 Strategy Implementation.
• Korany, B. (1979). Pétro-Puissance et Système Mondial : Le Cas de l’Arabie Saoudite. Études internationales, 10 (4), 797–819.
• KSRelief (2023). List of countries benefiting from aid from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center. https://www.ksrelief.org/Statistics/BeneficiaryCountries/#africa.
• Li, Y. (2019). Saudi Arabia’s Economic Diplomacy through Foreign Aid: Dynamics, Objectives, and Mode. Asian Journal of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies 2019, 13(1), 110–122
• Luntumbue, M. (2014). Comprendre la Dynamique des Conflits : Une Lecture Synthétique des Facteurs de Conflits en Afrique de l’Ouest. Groupe de Recherche et d’Information sur la Paix et la Sécurité. Belgium: Bruxelles
• Mallinson, F. (2022). The Revival of Strategic Competition in West Africa: Western Intransigence and Eastern Assertiveness. Georgetown Security Studies Review. https://georgetownsecuritystudiesreview.org/2022/05/13/the-revival-of-strategic-competition-in-west-africa-western-intransigence-and-eastern-assertiveness/.
• Meservey, J. (2021). Salafis, Sufis, and the Contest for the Future of African Islam. https://www.hudson.org/node/44076.
• Ministry of External Affairs (2023) Annual Report. https://mea.gov.in/Uploads/PublicationDocs/36286_MEA_Annual_Report_2022_English_web.pdf.
• Wei, L. (2022). Navies of China, Gulf of Guinea countries eye maritime security cooperation. http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/CHINA_209163/TopStories_209189/10158454.html.
• Miran, M. (2016). Le territoire de la prière. Grammaire spatiale des mosquées d’Afrique de l’Ouest. Les Cahiers d’Outre-Mer, 2016, 274, 41-75.
• OIC (2018). Charter of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. https://oic-oci.org/upload/documents/charter/fr/oic_charter_2018_fr.pdf.
• Pehlivan, S. B. (2023). Factors determining the state behavior of saudi arabia as a regional power. Akademik tarih ve düşünce dergisi, 10 (6), 2329-2356.
• Rrustemi, A. et al. (2019). Report Part Title: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Report Title: Geopolitical Influences of External Powers in the Western Balkans. Hague Centre for Strategic Studies, 49-64.
• Salih, M. (2002). Islamic NGOs in Africa: The promise and peril of Islamic voluntarism. Centre of African Studies.
• Saudi Press Agency (2021). Une Délégation du Fonds Saoudien pour le Développement Visite la Gambie pour Lancer des Projets. https://www.spa.gov.sa/w1653687.
• Saudi Press Agency (2023). The Saudi-African Summit: Establishing a Fruitful Partnership in Various Fields. https://www.spa.gov.sa/N1994008.
• Shabana, A. (2020). Saudi Policy in Africa: Interests and Practices. Pharos Center for Consulting and Strategic Studies.
• Shinn, H. D. (2019). China-Africa Ties in Historical Context. Edited by Arkebe Oqubay and Justin Yifu Lin, Oxford University Press.
• Soulié, G.J.L. & Champenois, L. (1977). La politique extérieure de l'Arabie Saoudite. Institut Français des Relations Internationales, Politique étrangère , 42(6), 601-622
• Sounaye, A. (2017). Salafi Revolution in West Africa. ZMO Working Papers, 19, Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient, Germany: Berlin.
• Statista (2022). Nigeria's Economy & Society, Data and Analysis, Countries and Regions.
• The Print (2022). INS Tarkash Completes Gulf of Guinea Anti-Piracy Deployment. https://theprint.in/world/ins-tarkash-completes-gulf-of-guinea-anti-piracy-deployment/1154540/ .
• U.S. Department of Defense (2024). Military and security developments involving the People's Republic of China. Annual report to Congress. https://media.defense.gov/2024/dec/18/2003615520/-1/-1/0/mılıtary-and-securıty-developments-ınvolvıng-the-peoples-republıc-of-chına-2024.pdf
• United Nations (2022). Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision.