Tamim functioning as Erdogan's emissary to Tunisia, Algeria
Wednesday 26/February/2020 - 04:57 PM
Tamim
Sara waheed
The latest visit of Qatari Emir, Tamim bin Hamad, to three Arab states, namely Jordan, Tunisia and Algeria, aims to achieve a number of objectives.
Meanwhile, the visit proves beyond any reasonable doubt that the Qatari emir has turned into a personal emissary of Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, working on his behalf to rescue Turkish military interference in Libya by currying favor with Libya's neighboring countries.
Tamim also tries to strike close economic relations with Jordan, a country that has a lot of influence in the Arab region.
Tamim's visit to Tunisia and Algeria aimed at watching what is happening in Libya closely. Turkey wants to use Tamim in achieving this goal, especially after Erdogan failed to convince the two Arab states to be part of his support camp for the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA). Erdogan wants Tamim to convince the leaderships of the two countries to offer him facilities he can use in gaining presence in Libya.
Why Tamim?
Political science professor at Cairo University, Tarek Fahmi, believes that Turkey is using Qatar thanks to the strong relations the minor Gulf state has with both Tunisia and Algeria.
Qatar is the second largest investor in Tunisia, contributing around 16% of total foreign investments in the Arab country, Fahmi told The Reference.
Fahmi added that Qatar does its best to help Turkey realize its ambitions in Libya.
Qatar is opening up to Tunisia and Algeria to do this, Fahmi said.
He added that Qatar will be trying to establish a new policy line towards the two countries in coordination with Turkey.
He noted that Qatar is also trying to use the economic crisis in Jordan in expanding its influence in the Arab state.
It will do this, he said, by pouring investments in the Jordanian market and creating jobs for thousands of Jordanian workers.
Maritime ambitions
Political science professor at Helwan University, Jihad Auda, said Turkey is trying to use Sheikh Tamim in convincing both Tunisia and Algeria in joining a maritime delimitation memo it signed with the GNA.
"Qatar will pour investments in the two countries in the coming period," Auda said. "It will use these investments in swaying the two countries in Turkey's direction."
