Turkey's security agenda has been broadened dramatically in the changing global security environment. The traditional security policies and practices were limited to protecting sovereignty and countering survival threats, mainly posed by direct engagement with other states. Thus, emphasis was given to military spending.
No doubt, Turkey faces several inter-state security threats, especially in different hot spot areas; however, the growing and widespread series of transnational nontraditional security threats are alarming. There is a long list for it. Environmental degradation, illegal migration, separatism and terrorism are among the top.
The country holds a critical geopolitical position between Europe, the Middle East and the Caucasus. It is a key peace broker in regional conflicts, a prominent state in peacekeeping operations and a significant donor for disaster response around the world. How has it responded to the nontraditional security challenges? Some point to the expansion of Turkey’s national security agenda, which has included internal as well as external security issues, and has merged security and foreign policies.
In other words, Turkey's perspective on security is changing from being state-centric to human-centric. It should be noted that nontraditional security has remained out of the mainstream Western security studies, where a great emphasis is laid on "human security," an approach followed by Turkey.
Turkey considers the risks arising from environmental degradation as an important unconventional security threat. Climate change and related issues such as health problems, restructuring of economic spheres and mass migration pose significant threats to Turkey. Freshwater scarcity, droughts, reduced agricultural production, declining biological diversity and rising sea levels are among the estimated risks.
In recent years, Turkey has been facing rising temperatures, prone to drought seasons, flash floods, deforestation and socio-economic aftermaths.
Generally, environmental problems top the agenda, but they sometimes serve as catalysts in local and regional conflict-prone issues.
Over the last two decades, Turkey has been increasingly confronted with large-scale irregular migration movements. Due to its location, Turkey has remained a key transit point for asylum-seekers aiming to cross into Europe to start anew, especially those fleeing persecution and war.
One of the main reasons behind this irregular mass movement is the turmoil that has continued for years in the Caucasus, Balkans and the Middle East, which led to a mass influx into Turkey. As a goodwill gesture, Turkey welcomed asylum-seekers escaping difficult situations.
With time, the migration phenomenon has social, political and economic implications, not only for Turkey but also in the wider context of the European Union.
Turkey has been suffering from separatist and international terrorism; both harming social and economic welfare. Mostly, the country has been struggling with terrorist activities directed against its indivisible territorial integrity. In recent years, terrorist attacks by the PKK, Daesh and the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) have increased. Turkey firmly believes that terrorism is not justified under any circumstances.
Turkey has always welcomed the international community’s call to uphold its commitments and take all necessary steps to combat and eradicate terrorism. It believes that fight against terrorist activities is a national responsibility.
Turkey is rapidly moving ahead in becoming a powerful, wealthy, modern and great country. It is willing to reach the contemporary level of development pointed out by its founding and eternal leader, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
It has recognized all of these nontraditional security challenges. Turkey has taken extraordinary security measures and adopted a multilateral security policy to tackle such challenges. The country is on its way to provide better living standards to its citizens and save them from all looming nontraditional security challenges.
