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[PANEL] 0508 NEW PERSPECTIVES ON THE RELATION BETWEEN OTTOMAN-TURKEY AND THE ETHIOPIAN REGION
Organizers:
Nahide BOZKURT, Ankara University, Turkey
MUZEYEN Hawas Sebsebe, Ankara University, Turkey
Ahmet Nedim SERINSU, Horn of Africa Strategic Studies, Turkey
Paper presenters:
SEID Ahmed Mohammed; Nedim YALANSIZ; Fatma YILDIZ; KAMIL Abdu
The presence of the Ottoman Empire in the Ethiopia region and the Horn of Africa since the second half of the 16th century had laid the foundation for the latter remarkable socio-economic and political relationships. Ottoman's upper hand on the Red Sea coast region, which connects international trade across the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean, enabled them to sustain their influence on the Ethiopian region and Horn of Africa. The collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the emergence of the Republic of Turkey at the first half of the Twentieth century opened a new perspective on the interactions of the two partners. Especially during the last decade, Especially, since the late 1990's and early 2000's bilateral relation between Turkey and the Ethiopian region has shown remarkable growth. Since recent times, the Ethiopian region becomes one of the major destinations of Turkey’s foreign direct investment. Turkey is also conscious enough on the strategic significance of the Ethiopian region and Horn of Africa to promote its diplomatic goals. Addis Ababa, as the seat for the Head Quarter of the African Union, has strategic benefit for Ankara to secure the diplomatic support of the 54 African countries for her position in international politics. Nevertheless, however, this rising and strategic partnership between Turkey and the Ethiopian region is not properly studied. The transformation in the relation, agents, and factors in the process needs comparative historical analysis so that the influence and prospects will have strategic guidance for both sides. The objective of this panel is to analyze how far the bilateral relation between Turkey and the Ethiopia region transformed from the Ottoman period to the modern Turkey. The panel will also be aimed at assessing the influence of new developments in the social, economic and political arenas of the region on their relation. The panel will be jointly facilitated by the department of African Studies in Ankara University and Horn of Africa Strategic Studies, a regional think tank that is based in Ankara.
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MODERNIZATION FROM ABOVE: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF TEWODROS II AND SELIM III MODERNIZATION REFORMS [Abstract ID: 0508-01]
Many historians hardly gave due attention in using historical comparison as one of their methods of study. They tended to rely on the use use of their own historical research. But this method lacks the way to analyze some worldwide dynamics of events in comparative perspectives. Some dynamics like revolution, modernization, societal change and transformation need broader analysis for broadening our historical knowledge’s by comparing and contrasting of the causes, courses and consequences of such dynamics historical developments in the world at large. In this paper our study focuses upon “the dynamics of modernization” and the challenge of modernity of the old regimes. As a breakthrough, the work of Black grouped the modernization process of many countries in the world into seven groups. From the groups the fifth one includes countries like Turkey, Ethiopia, China, Russia, Iran, Afghanistan and Thailand having the same dynamics that they faced for the challenge of modernity. In these countries the old regimes tried to introduce modernization and “reform from the above” in order to tackle the gradual decline of the empire that faced strong challenges from the outside world. The other similarity among them was that as the rulers attempted to introduce the modernization reforms the old traditional and the religious institutions strongly opposed the reforms as the reforms alienated the power and prestige of the traditional classes. Similarly, the rulers introduced modernization by maintaining their own unique socio-cultural and religious dynamics, not as borrowing and acculturation of the west by complete destruction of their own. Therefore, this paper attempts to give a comparative analysis of two modernizers, Tewodros II of Ethiopia and Sultan Selim III of Ottoman Turkey, who tried to modernize their empires and paid their lives as a result of modernization.
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OTTOMAN EMPIRE AS AN EXTERNAL ACTOR AND ITS EFFECT ON POLITICS IN ETHIOPIA FROM EMPEROR TEWODROS TO EMPEROR HAILE SELASSIE [Abstract ID: 0508-03]
The Ethiopian-Ottoman Turkish relations were carried out in economic, cultural and political aspects via the Red Sea, Egypt and Sudan territories from 16th century to 19th century. In the medieval period, this relationship between Ethiopia and Ottoman Empire grew rapidly because of the rivalry between Turks and Portuguese as well as internal wars in Ethiopia. In the middle of 19th century, tension in the relations between Ottoman Empire and Ethiopia continued. For instance, Emperor Tewodros and Emperor Yohannes sought to remedy against Turk's increment in the Red Sea through Egypt. Therefore, they sent letters to Queen Victoria and Lord Granville to dismiss Turks from the Red Sea in 1862 and 1872 respectively. After the opening the Suez Canal in 1869, political conditions changed on the Red Sea. Britain supported Egyptian spread to this area. Thus, Ethiopian-Egyptian War broke out on 16 November 1875. However, Sultan Abdulhamit had an influence in the formation of the balances on the region. Hence, the relationship between the two countries improved during King Menelik II and Sultan Abdulhamit II. Deyr Sultan Monastery in Jerusalem was on the issue between them. Furthermore, Ottoman Empire had a significant diplomatic contact with the region. For example, Mazhar Bey who was consul of Ottoman Empire in Harar played an active role in the relations during Iyasu V. Mazhar bey persuaded Iyasu V to become an ally of the Central Powers during the First World War. The main objective of this research is to explore Ottoman Empire’s influence on the politics in Ethiopia from 1860 to 1916. It will also be aimed at assessing the impact on the external and internal political approach in Ethiopia. To this end, comparative historical and document analysis methods will be employed. The historical records of the period available in the archives, in Istanbul and Addis Ababa, will be used to collect primary data.
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THE GROWING ETHIOPIA-TURKEY RELATION, CHALLENGES A HEAD [Abstract ID: 0508-02]
The Ethiopia –Turkey relation has its root in the first half of the 16th century when the Ottoman and contemporary Ethiopian empire had been interacting in different manners. Currently, the relation between the two nations is gaining a momentum, especially in trade, investment and economic assistance. Turkish investors are the leading investors in Ethiopia and the trade between the two countries is expected to reach 1 billion USD by the year 2020. Development and humanitarian assistance for Ethiopia by Turkish state and non-state actors is also on the rise. The relation, however, is not without challenges. The author of the paper argues that the interests & engagements of the two countries in Somalia, the Turkish foreign policy discourse and the “imbalance in benefit sharing” from the economic relation of the two countries present a real challenges worthy of consideration and reconsideration by the two nations.