New York, 20 September 2023 (TDI): The President of Turkey, Tayyip Erdoğan addressed the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), on September 19, in New York.
President Tayyip Erdoğan in his speech highlighted a wide range of subjects including humanitarian crises, political conflicts, social tensions, SDGs, reformation of the UN Security Council, and threat of Xenophobia and Islamophobia.
During his speech, the Turkish President expressed grave concern about the use of terrorism as an instrument in proxy wars in regions like Syria, North Africa, and the Sahel, asserting that it is undermining international security.
In addition to that, he centered his speech on the current Russia-Ukraine crisis, where he focused on Turkey’s contributions to resolving the crisis through diplomatic negotiations.
In highlighting Turkey’s appeal for peace and security, President Erdoğan stated, “Since the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian war, we have been endeavouring to keep both our Russian and Ukrainian friends around the table with the thesis that war will have no winners and peace will have no losers.”
Furthermore, he underscored Turkey’s efforts in preventing the world from a global hunger crisis, against the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine conflict through the Black Sea Initiative in cooperation with the UN that led to the shipment of 33 million tons of grain products to world markets.
He also notified that the deadlock to the initiative as of July 17, has left the persistent threat of hunger crisis in many parts of the world.
In correspondence, President Erdoğan stressed: “In this regard, we attach importance to the plan aimed at immediate shipping of 1 million tons of grain to African countries. Faced with conflicts and disputes around us, we aim to make the greatest possible contributions to world peace and prosperity.”
President Erdoğan also shared his concern over the humanitarian tragedy in Syria due to the political conflicts, terror inflicted by PKK-PYD terrorist organization and radical groups coupled with the natural climatic hazards as well.
In speaking about the humanitarian assistance of Turkey to Syria in the earthquake of February 6, President Erdoğan highlighted, “As the construction of houses beyond our borders, which we are pioneering, are completed, the return of refugees to these places will accelerate.”
He also stressed Turkey’s support towards the independence of Palestine from Israel, followed by calling to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as a region of Azerbaijan emphasizing the living of Armenians within lands of Azerbaijan peacefully and cooperatively.
He also invited the international community to recognize the independence of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and to establish political, diplomatic, and economic ties with it.
Besides speaking about the global political conflicts and Turkey’s role in its solutions, President Erdoğan also touched upon the growing threat of xenophobia, racism, and islamophobia, warning that these issues are reaching at alarming levels globally.
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Furthermore, President Erdoğan shed light on the reformation of the United Nations, expressing the idea that the institutions established after the Second World War no longer reflect today’s world.
In referring to the five Permanent Members of the Security Council he added, “The world is bigger than five.”
While advocating for the reformation of the Security Council he stated, “The Security Council has ceased to be the guarantor of world security and has become a battleground for the political strategies of only five countries.”
Apart from that, the Turkish President at the UNGA Session shared Turkey’s unprecedented help to Libya in the cause of recent floods.
Moving forward he urged all the countries at UNGA to demonstrate a strong will to realize Sustainable Development Goals and contribute to achieve them accordingly.