Turkey's Feud With Gulenists Could Upset Its Africa Policy

Attempts by the Turkish government to curtail organizations and schools abroad linked to the Fethullah Gulen movement could undermine Ankara's diplomatic relations with African countries. Gulen's global religious network, known as Hizmet, calls for an interpretation of Islam that blends traditional values with modernity. Unlike Azerbaijan and the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq, where Turkey maintains deeper strategic interests, African countries with weaker ties to Ankara will be more reluctant to give up the developmental assistance they have received from Hizmet.