Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has become a leader nobody in the West is eager to host, has decided to steer toward countries with leaders he thinks might understand him: Uganda, Kenya and Somalia.

His government is trying to increase its foreign policy options and find new openings after upsetting all its neighbors with interventionist and aggressive policies. Of course, there is also an economic dimension to Turkey’s interest. As China, the United States and Iran are active in Africa, Turkey also thinks there are serious economic opportunities on that continent.

It's become a tradition for Erdogan to begin his foreign travels with much fanfare and overdone public relations campaigns. His four-day trip, which began June 1, was preceded by statements and articles that spoke of grandiose ambitions that made going to Africa sound like a conquest. His most repeated line was “Turkey has no colonial past,” as he portrayed Africa as an “exploited, oppressed, dark continent that is awaiting its savior.”

Yigit Bulut, a senior adviser to the president, in a recent appearance on TRT News actually uttered these words: “People in the Balkans, Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East are asking how they, too, can be governed from Istanbul.” According to him, people in Greece, Romania and Bulgaria are saying, “Never mind the European Union. What new scenario can develop with Turkey?” He is so removed from reality that if it weren't for gravity, he would be flying high.