Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he discussed defense and security cooperation with Senegal’s visiting prime minister Ousmane Sonkoon Thursday, hailing Turkey’s growing ties with Africa.
“Today we discussed joint steps that we can take in the areas of security, the defense industry and the fight against terrorism,” Erdogan told a televised press conference with Sonko in the capital, Ankara.
“We are pleased with the growing interest of our African brothers in Turkish defense products. We look forward to further strengthening our solidarity in this area in the coming period,” he said.
Turkey has, in recent years, consolidated its foothold in Africa, at a time when many African countries are turning away from their former colonial rulers.
Turkey’s leading defence electronics firm, Aselsan, has taken a further step in cementing its relationship with Senegal through a high-level visit that underscores the growing defence and industrial links between the two nations.
On 7 August 2025, Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, accompanied by a delegation, toured Aselsan’s Golbaşı Technology Base in Ankara, where he received detailed briefings on the company’s operations and capabilities. The visit, hosted alongside a parallel tour of Havelsan, another prominent Turkish defence entity, was facilitated by Haluk Görgün, President of Turkey’s Defence Industry Agency, highlighting the official backing for these engagements.
ASELSAN General Manager Ahmet Akyol: “We were very pleased to host Senegal Prime Minister Mr. Ousmane Sonko and his delegation to our Golbashi Technology Base. As ASELSAN, we are proud to take strategic steps towards the future with friendly and allied countries. We would like to thank the Prime Minister and his delegation for their kind visit and their interest in ASELSAN. ”
During the presentations, Sonko and his team learned about Aselsan’s extensive portfolio, which spans radar systems, electronic warfare solutions, unmanned platforms, missile technologies, avionics, and communication networks, all designed to meet the demands of modern military operations. These products have positioned Aselsan as a key player in global defence markets, with exports to over 70 countries and a focus on tailored solutions for land, air, naval, and space applications.
During the meeting, it was evaluated that ASELSAN could offer solutions for the country’s defence needs in areas such as radar and electro-optical technologies, weapon systems, communication systems and unmanned systems.
Sonko expressed Senegal’s eagerness to deepen ties with Turkey, particularly in defence and industry sectors, framing the discussions around mutual benefits. He placed particular emphasis on technology transfer and safeguarding data sovereignty, advocating for partnerships that empower both sides equally. This stance aligns with Senegal’s broader strategy to build indigenous capabilities, reducing reliance on foreign suppliers while addressing security challenges like terrorism in the Sahel, maritime threats in the Atlantic, and internal stability concerns. For Aselsan, the encounter represents a strategic advancement in its outreach to allied countries, with company officials conveying gratitude for the delegation’s engagement and interest in their offerings.
This meeting builds directly on prior exchanges that have laid the foundation for enhanced collaboration. In March 2025, Haluk Görgün travelled to Dakar for official talks aimed at expanding defence partnerships, meeting with key figures including representatives from the Turkish Embassy, Senegal’s Ministry of Defence, Prime Minister Sonko, and President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. Those discussions centred on innovative cooperation frameworks, joint ventures in defence technologies, and security enhancements, reaffirming Turkey’s role in supporting regional stability through shared expertise. The visit yielded commitments to explore technology-sharing initiatives, reflecting a mutual interest in addressing common challenges like counter-terrorism and border security.
Senegal’s armed forces have already integrated Turkish equipment, providing a tangible basis for further collaboration. The country operates Otokar Cobra II and Nurol Ejder Yalçın armoured vehicles, acquired in recent years to bolster its ground mobility and protection against asymmetric threats. The Cobra II, a 4×4 wheeled armoured vehicle with capacity for up to ten personnel, offers robust protection and versatility for patrol and reconnaissance duties, while the Ejder Yalçın family provides modular configurations for roles ranging from troop transport to command vehicles, both proving effective in Senegal’s efforts to secure its borders and combat insurgent activities. These acquisitions, part of a broader diversification of Senegal’s military inventory that includes Chinese and Emirati platforms, demonstrate a pragmatic approach to sourcing reliable, cost-effective systems that align with operational needs in challenging environments.
For Turkey, engagements like Sonko’s visit fit into a wider pattern of expanding influence in Africa, where defence exports have surged, reaching record levels in recent years. Aselsan, with its emphasis on indigenous development and export-oriented growth, sees opportunities in tailoring products like electronic warfare suites, radar installations, and unmanned systems to African contexts, where threats from non-state actors demand agile, integrated responses. Senegal, under President Faye and Prime Minister Sonko’s administration, prioritises sovereign development, making Turkey’s model of joint ventures and knowledge sharing appealing, as evidenced by recent agreements in other sectors like space cooperation between Senegal’s military and its space agency.
The ongoing talks signal potential for substantial projects, possibly encompassing radar networks for border surveillance, communication upgrades for joint operations, or unmanned assets to monitor vast territories. Such collaborations could extend to maintenance and training, fostering self-sufficiency in Senegal while opening markets for Turkish firms. As both countries navigate a multipolar world, this partnership exemplifies how defence ties can underpin broader economic and strategic alignments, contributing to stability in West Africa amid persistent challenges from extremism and resource conflicts. With Aselsan’s track record of global partnerships and Senegal’s proactive stance, the foundation laid by these visits could yield concrete outcomes in the near term, benefiting mutual security interests.