The Amity International College network: an instrument of Turkish soft power in Cameroon

The emerging countries are likely to play a leading role in the world economy and governance in a more or less near future. Africa constitutes a new playing field of these countries. Forsaken formerly by globalization, the African continent from now on is courted as well by the traditional industrial powers as by the emergent powers. Turkey is not in rest. In 1998, the Turkish diplomats through their Ministry of Foreign Affairs started the “Opening up to Africa” Program. Within the framework of a strategy of indirect influence in Africa, a tacit agreement between the Turkish Ministry of National education and the association known as the “fethullahcı” allowed the development of a network of Turkish schools on the black continent. It is the case of the Amity international college network of Cameroon who counts already three school groups (Ngaoundere, Yaounde and Douala). This article proposes to show, starting from an investigation of field research and of an empirical analysis, how Turkey through these schools installs its influence in Cameroon. The article first of all presents the network of Amity International College of Cameroon before examining the challenges of the establishment of this company. The article also shows that these schools are an instrument of the cultural and economic power of Turkey in Cameroon. It concludes that this network of schools of excellence constitutes a powerful instrument of Turkish soft power in Cameroon.