Analysis: The meaning of Erdoğan’s Gulf tour

The great states maintain strong armies to keep their commercial interests and trade routes open

Imperial remnant states have surprising perspectives. Such master states have their ups and downs in the course of history. From time to time, they suffer from economic weakness, or they fail in administration. But in the end, just as the rivers formed by the melted snow from the mountains reach the sea, a nation that remains of the empire, step by step, achieves its missions.

When World War I was over, there was a global acceptance that the dominance of England and France in the universe would never end. In today’s world, the number of states and their leaders frequently referred to is no more than the number of fingers on a hand. The states to which the global geopolitical circles, media and press often refer, the United States, China, Russia and Türkiye, are constant, and other countries mentioned vary according to the developing events and political situations. One day, Ukraine is mentioned, and the U.K. is referred to. Another day, we hear Afghanistan quoted frequently. However, Türkiye has entered the list of often-mentioned master states that are constantly on the global agenda and whose issues are discussed.

3 strategic stages

After 2011, Türkiye faced some security problems. Three notorious terrorist organizations attacked Türkiye in synchronization: the PKK terrorist organization, the Daesh terrorist group and the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ).

On the way to its economically productive environment today, Türkiye planned and underwent three strategic stages.

First, amid the global geopolitical turmoil that started a decade ago, Türkiye needed to establish a new security paradigm as an independent nation-state rather than relying on allies. From 2015 to 2020, Türkiye strengthened its new security paradigm and demonstrated a determined military will with a robust army.

Secondly, after the renewed national security paradigm, it restored its relations one by one with all the countries whose relations had deteriorated earlier.

The established security paradigm is usually followed by durable diplomacy, and such diplomacy and intimate relations provide a better economic environment for the countries. So, Türkiye’s third strategic stage has been setting forth a better economic climate with the countries it improved diplomacy.

In this context, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s recent visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are steps after restoring diplomatic relations.

On the other hand, such visits coincided with the breaking moment of the Western monopoly in many areas, like the emergence of the KSA-Iran-China relations as the Western-dominated globe was implicitly shaken.

Nowadays, countries started not to bow before the threats of the United States, France or the U.K. while establishing relations with others. This lays the groundwork for relatively small economies or rich countries on the scale of Riyadh to act more comfortably in forging international links and improving trade with one another.

Safe haven

Today, cash-rich countries are mainly the ones with oil and natural gas resources, like Russia, Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia. In fact, most of the cash flowing or deposited in Western banks also originates from these countries.

Capital is not just after profit but also looks for a haven. Today, Türkiye is a country that provides confidence to the world with its strong state and army. As the legal infrastructure improves, it will become more secure to circulate the capital than Europe and the United States in the coming years. The realistic base of immense figures pronounced during the meetings in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE is better comprehended from this point of view.

Türkiye is now an industrial country and does not go empty-handed to visit other countries. Whenever necessary, it comes with a clear vision for investments, acquisitions, partnerships or joint business ventures with third countries.

From now on, Türkiye’s relations with all countries from the East to the West are improving, and Türkiye’s economy and power will continue to grow exponentially.