This research project aims at identifying the underlying biases shaping France’s foreign policy towards Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean, and the way it may impact the EU’s external positions. The definition of French interests seems to be directly at odds with what is perceived as Turkey’s exaggerated adventurism in the region, to the point of triggering military escalation.
Turkey-European Union relations have been fluctuating in recent years, leading to a relationship which seems to be driven more by crisis management than representing an equal partnership. Nonetheless, both blocs remain key partners on various dimensions such as trade, migration cooperation and security. As such, it would be a timely endeavour to investigate possible areas of economic, political and social cooperation between Turkey and the European Union. In that light, Africa offers an underexplored area of research to examine the possibilities of such cooperation as well as identify the points of contention.
This research will explore the potential for cooperation on environmental peacemaking and environmental geopolitics between the regional powers of the Eastern Mediterranean – namely Turkey, Egypt and Israel – to decrease the tensions of potential conflicts and environmental degradation in the region.
