Turkey’s Presence in the Western Balkans

Turkey’s Presence in the Western Balkans: Achieving Cooperation and Sustainable Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Author: Spyros A. Sofos

This paper seeks to map Turkey’s multifaceted engagement in Bosnia (and the Western Balkans, where this impacts Bosnia) and trace its evolution over the past three decades. More specifically, the paper attempts to shed light on, and contextualise continuities and discontinuities in Ankara’s humanitarian, development, commercial and cultural diplomacy associated with its peacebuilding activities in Bosnia and examine the ways Turkey’s engagement in Bosnia and Herzegovina/the Western Balkans, contributes to, or diverges from, the BiH peace process and transition.

The author addresses the emergence of Turkey as an ambitious regional and global actor, focusing on its first steps into peacebuilding in the Western Balkans, before turning his attention to Turkey’s foreign policy reorientation, including understanding of peacebuilding and its activities in Bosnia-Herzegovina over the past 15 years. The paper then provides an overview of the underlying trends and characteristics of the second phase of Ankara’s peacebuilding engagement. Finally, it explores how Turkey’s peacebuilding strategy and activities over the past 15 years impact the country’s place in the regional and global system, namely its alliances and partnerships, and the effectiveness of its interventions.

The Global Transitions Series looks at fragmentations in the global order and how these impact peace and transition settlements. It explores why and how different third-party actors – state, intergovernmental, and non-governmental – intervene in conflicts, and how they see themselves contributing to reduction of conflict and risks of conflict relapse. The series critically assesses the growth and diversification of global and regional responses to contemporary conflicts. It also asks how local actors are navigating this multiplicity of mediators and peacebuilders and how this is shaping conflict outcomes and post-conflict governance.