Executive Summary

The Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF) 2025 served as a strategic platform for Turkey to advance its ambitions as a revisionist middle power, pursuing influence through non-coercive means across regions of historical and ideological significance. This event reinforced Ankara’s aspiration to redefine its geopolitical posture through a deliberate blend of diplomacy, civilizational discourse, and ideological soft power.

Apart from the ADF, the Turkish government continues to integrate systematically the functions of two key institutions, the Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), into the framework of its foreign policy. These bodies are now essential to Ankara’s projection of religious, cultural, and developmental influence, particularly in regions historically aligned with Ottoman, Islamic, or Turkic civilisational identities.

This report highlighted that Turkey’s growing foreign policy assertiveness, fuelled by the Antalya Diplomacy Forum mixed to TIKA and Diyanet’ activities, may provoke backlash from regional and international actors.

Key Judgements

• ADF 2025 affirmed Turkey’s intent to reshape global governance narratives, positioning itself as an ideational and diplomatic counterweight to Western institutions while promoting multipolar cooperation frameworks.
• ADF, Diyanet and TIKA serve as strategic amplifiers of Turkish influence, operating under the guise of religious outreach and development help.
• Turkey’s increased soft power deployments may provoke responses from Russia, the Gulf, and the EU.

Background Information

The Antalya Diplomacy Forum, inaugurated in 2021 and now an annual diplomatic event, has become a cornerstone of Turkish international engagement. The 2025 iteration, held under the banner of “Inclusive Diplomacy in a Fragmented World”, positioned Turkey as a bridge-builder amidst the ongoing recalibration of the global order.

At the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF2025), organised on April 11-13, 2025, in Antalya,  emphasised the importance of multilateral approaches and diplomacy amid the changing global order. Participants stressed the potential of dialogue and the necessity of bolstering international institutions, citing platforms such as the ADF as potential avenues for addressing global challenges. Speakers underscored the crucial part multilateralism plays in fostering cooperation, particularly in regional partnerships concerning security and economic progress.

Leaders from various countries, including Montenegro, Moldova, Georgia, Bulgaria, and former Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, discussed the importance of regional cooperation, the role of Turkey in bridging countries, and the potential of multilateralism to address geopolitical and economic challenges. The forum gathered over 20 heads of state, over 70 ministers, and representatives from international organisations to discuss key issues such as climate change, terrorism, humanitarian aid, digitalisation, food security, and artificial intelligence.

The ADF 2025 featured also a panel discussion on the Organisation of Turkic States, examining its unique cooperative model and potential for further integration. High-ranking officials from Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and other member states stressed the vital role of shared culture, common values, and infrastructure in their strategic partnerships. Central to the discussion were a common alphabet, smoother intra-regional trade, and standardised laws. Azerbaijani delegates highlighted the importance of transport routes, such as the Zangezur and Middle Corridors, in linking regional economies and building political trust, especially between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

The Forum occurred during a period of acute domestic turbulence for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s administration. Nationwide demonstrations erupted following the March 2025 arrest of opposition figure Ekrem İmamoğlu, coinciding with a deepening economic downturn and a growing sense of international isolation. In this context, the ADF had both international and national roles, acting as a symbol of diplomatic importance abroad.

Geopolitical Scenario

Diyanet – Religious Diplomacy and Ideological Alignment

Functioning increasingly as a tool for strategic communication and ideological projection, the Diyanet is nominally a religious institution. Its activities include the export of Turkish religious narratives, infrastructure development, and clerical training in line with Ankara’s interpretation of Sunni Islam—specifically the Hanafi-Maturidi tradition. Its influence spans:

• The Balkans: Rehabilitation of Ottoman-era religious architecture and the deployment of Turkish-educated clergy in Bosnia-Herzegovina, North Macedonia, and Kosovo.
• Central Asia: Institutional collaboration with Uzbek and Kyrgyz religious authorities to limit the appeal of Saudi-style Salafism and reinforce ties through shared Islamic heritage.
• Sub-Saharan Africa: A growing footprint in countries such as Somalia, Nigeria, and Chad, through mosque construction, religious education, and humanitarian outreach.
• Russia: Maintaining operational ties with the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Russia, enabling indirect engagement in sensitive areas such as Tatarstan and the North Caucasus.

TIKA – Development Help as Political Instrument

Once a development agency, TIKA now increasingly promotes Turkish strategic goals, particularly in areas where Ankara aims to expand its influence via infrastructure projects, educational initiatives, and humanitarian aid. Its efforts often coincide with economic diplomacy and commercial expansion. Notable initiatives include:

• Balkans: Infrastructure development with Turkish branding, often aligned with historical-cultural restoration.
• Central Asia: Investments in vocational education and Turkology programmes, reinforcing Ankara’s leadership in the Organisation of Turkic States.
• Africa: Humanitarian programmes in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel, closely integrated with military and diplomatic infrastructure, notably in Somalia.

Strategic Messaging and Civilisational Projection

The combined efforts of religious and developmental diplomacy bolster Ankara’s overarching civilisational narrative. This involves promoting Turkey as a natural leader within Islamic, Turkic, and post-colonial frameworks. Tools used in this campaign include:

1. Using international Islamic groups and South-South collaborations to become an ideological leader.
2. Mobilising Diyanet and TIKA to sustain political and cultural engagement with diaspora communities, particularly in Western Europe.
3. Presenting Turkey as a different model than Western liberal internationalism or Eastern authoritarian development.

Host governments, especially in Europe, increasingly resist such efforts; Diyanet-linked operations have drawn accusations of political surveillance, community manipulation, and propaganda dissemination.

Conclusion

The Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF) 2025 provided Turkey with a strategic platform to reinforce its aspirations as a middle power, using diplomacy, cultural discourse, and soft power to reshape global governance. The event highlighted Turkey’s ambition to foster a multipolar world and promote regional cooperation, particularly with countries aligned with its Ottoman, Turkic, and Islamic heritage. In this context, apart from the ADF, Ankara uses Diyanet and TIKA for religious and developmental outreach in the Balkans, Central Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa.

However, Turkey’s expanded overseas religious influence risks straining ties with regional rivals and the West. TIKA’s growing presence in infrastructure and humanitarian projects could damage its reputation for impartiality, particularly in contested regions. Turkey balances promoting its ideology with diplomatic realities using the ADF, Diyanet, and TIKA, mindful of potential backlash.

Author: SpecialEurasia OSINT Team

*Cover image: The logo of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (Credits: Antalya Diplomasi Forumu, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons)

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