The Head of the Communications Directorate at the Turkish Presidency, Fahrettin Altun, stated in an interview with Assahifa Arabic on the sidelines of the Türkiye-Africa Media Forum in Istanbul on February 28, 2025, that his country combats misinformation by 'telling the truth' and responding to inquiries promptly
Altun also emphasized Türkiye's interest in Africa, highlighting that in 2023, the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) launched "TRT Africa" to showcase the cultural and social richness of the African continent to the world.
In a related context, the Turkish official pointed out that Turkey is working to preserve the Ottoman heritage in some North African countries, such as Algeria, which was once under Ottoman rule. He affirmed that official Turkish media actively publish news and interviews promoting Ottoman heritage in North Africa.
The interview proceeded as follows:
-Türkiye maintains close cooperation with many African countries on economic, political, and cultural levels. In recent years, this cooperation has expanded to include military aspects, especially as several African nations seek to preserve their territorial integrity and security against separatist movements. Mr. Fahrettin Altun, how do you reflect this strong relationship with African countries in the media?
As the Directorate of Communications of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye, we prioritise ensuring that the relationships and cooperation between Türkiye and African countries, which are evolving and strengthening on a foundation of friendship, are conveyed accurately and truthfully. In pursuit of this goal, we engage in various aspects of communication both nationally and internationally, employing a comprehensive strategy. At this stage, the focus of our strategy is enhancing Tükrkiye's collaboration and friendship with the African continent.
The Directorate of Communications believes that building a robust, independent, and impartial media ecosystem is highly essential for dispelling distorted narratives and unrealistic perceptions regarding Africa. In this context, our affiliated organisation Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) took a significant step in 2023 by launching the "TRT Africa" digital news platform to showcase the cultural and social richness of the African continent to the world. At TRT Africa, we prioritise the employment of African journalists to ensure that Africa can tell its own story from its distinct perspective and with its authentic voice.
The Directorate of Communications of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye also organised the first edition of the African Media Summit in İstanbul in 2022, which gathered nearly 450 participants, including 80 press members from 45 African countries.
In accordance with the principles of objective and accurate journalism, the TRT Arabic television channel shares the truth with the international public in eight key countries across the African continent.
Since its inception in 2015, the TRT World channel has been dedicated to fostering positive change in the media and communication landscape. Through its Africa Desk, the channel effectively communicates developments across the continent to a global audience.
TRT World engages in the production of documentary projects tailored to the African context and maintains a significant media presence across various nations on the continent through its weekly programme, Africa Matters.
Anadolu Agency, our affiliate organisation, has successfully organised over 20 training programmes, thereby making a substantial contribution to the specialisation of nearly 400 media and communication professionals of African origin.
Furthermore, Anadolu Agency has established cooperation agreements with the Nigerian News Agency (NAN), Zimbabwe News Agency (New Ziana), and Algerian News Agency (APS) from the African continent and is presently engaged in discussions regarding agreements with six additional countries.
-Türkiye has a significant historical legacy in Africa, particularly in the North, where the Ottoman heritage is evident. Why don’t we see Turkish media documenting this historical era to deepen engagement with the region’s people and highlight the Ottoman Empire’s cultural influence, for example, in Algeria?
In recent years, particularly with the enhancement of regional relations, the Turkish media's initiatives to emphasise the cultural heritage of the Ottoman Empire in North Africa have garnered increased attention. In countries such as Algeria, which was formerly ruled by the Ottoman Empire, Turkish media is actively reintroducing this heritage into public discourse and seeking to foster robust cultural connections with the local people.
A notable initiative undertaken by the Turkish media in this context is the production of documentaries by TRT. TRT has aired numerous documentaries exploring the Ottoman influence in North Africa. In countries such as Algeria and Tunisia, content that offers insights into Ottoman-era artefacts, historical architecture, and traditions plays a significant role in fostering a sense of connection to the region's Ottoman heritage.
The Ottoman influence in North Africa, the reflection of this legacy in the present day, and the relations between peoples are illustrated by the productions of TRT Documentary - Ottoman Empire documentary series, TRT World - The Ottoman Legacy, TRT Documentary - Ottoman to Present documentary series, and TRT News - Somewhere Out There (Ottoman Empire and Cultural Ties) documentary. News agencies such as the Anadolu Agency publish news articles and interviews promoting Ottoman heritage in North Africa. These news articles focus on historical artifacts from the Ottoman era, cultural heritage, and efforts to preserve this heritage in countries such as Algeria.
The Turkish media's influence in Algeria and other North African countries extends beyond historical documents. Furthermore, today the Turkish media has increased its cultural interactions with North Africa, hosting various events, concerts, exhibitions, and conferences in this context.
-Türkiye skillfully employs what is described as "soft power" to promote its culture and civilization in Africa through arts, cinema, tourism, and history. However, it seems that media remains Türkiye's weak point in Africa, particularly in the West. Why is that?
Türkiye is conducting particular activities to strengthen its relations with West African countries and deepen cultural ties in the region.
TIKA has implemented numerous projects in West Africa, including education, health, agriculture, and infrastructure. For example, in Mali, farmers were provided with modern irrigation systems and training in order to boost agricultural production. In addition, TIKA assisted hospitals in improving healthcare services in Burkina Faso by providing medical equipment.
The Yunus Emre Institute has held a variety of activities to promote Turkish culture in West Africa. A festival promoting Turkish cuisine was held in Ghana, and samples of Turkish cinema were screened in Senegal. Moreover, Turkish language and literature courses have been launched in Nigeria.
The Turkish Maarif Foundation has made significant contributions to education in West Africa. Turkish schools in the Ivory Coast offer high-quality education to students in the region. Students are also encouraged to study at Turkish universities through scholarship programmes available in Nigeria.
Turkish Airlines is strengthening its ties with the region by expanding its flight network in West Africa. Direct flights to countries such as Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Nigeria play a significant role in fostering business and cultural relations.
The Türkiye Diyanet Foundation implements various projects in the field of humanitarian aid and education in West Africa. Mosque constructions commenced and training centres were opened in Guinea, while water wells and health clinics were established in Senegal.
These initiatives deepen Türkiye's relations with West African countries and contribute to the development processes in the region.
-Like many other countries, Türkiye faces systematic disinformation campaigns due to its political stance. Mr. Fahrettin Altun, how do you counter these campaigns to prevent them from negatively affecting Türkiye's image?
The Presidency's Directorate of Communications of the Republic of Türkiye adopts a strategic approach in the fight against disinformation. The Centre for Combating Disinformation, which we have established in this context, continues its work ceaselessly. Our strategy is based on a proactive approach, including Rapid Response, Training and Awareness Raising, Regulations, International Communication and Media Co-operation.
The key step in countering the spread of disinformation is to respond swiftly to false and inaccurate information with accurate and reliable information. This requires being active on social media platforms and other digital media in today's environment. We organise various training programmes and seminars to strengthen society’s and media professionals' resilience against disinformation and raise awareness.
We also establish legal frameworks to combat disinformation and work to prevent the spread of false information that threatens public peace and security, in accordance with legal regulations on digital platforms that disseminate disinformation, without compromising democratic principles. We establish close cooperation with the international press to combat disinformation that may negatively impact Türkiye's image abroad, and we provide the international public with accurate information about our country.
In this regard, one of our exemplary efforts to combat disinformation was related to the presence of Turkish troops in Libya. As the Presidency's Directorate of Communications of the Republic of Türkiye, we have strived to enlighten the international media and public opinion on this issue, proving that Türkiye's military presence in the region is legitimate and in accordance with international law and that we endeavour to contribute to the establishment of peace, security, and stability in the region. We ensured that the international community was informed about Türkiye's military activities abroad through official statements and press releases, providing accurate and transparent information.
