New york: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan praised Qatari-US efforts to bring peace to several African countries, expressing Turkiye’s concern over the ongoing conflict in Sudan and stressing that peace efforts there fall on the international community.
According to Qatar News Agency, Erdogan, in his speech before the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, addressed the Palestinian issue, stressing that the ongoing genocide in Gaza requires immediate action from the international community. He emphasized the need for a ceasefire and holding perpetrators of crimes accountable under international law, stating that anyone who remains silent about what is happening in Gaza is complicit in genocide.
He added that the Israeli entity deliberately killed journalists and closed the crossings, and that children were being killed and forced to starve. Erdogan described Gaza as an uninhabitable place, with its destruction justified solely by the Hamas movement. He questioned why Israel was targeting the West Bank despite the absence of Hamas there and described Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as indifferent to peace and securing the release of hostages.
The Turkish president also highlighted his country’s efforts to support a unified, secure, and stable Syria, work towards peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia, resolve the dispute between Somalia and Ethiopia, and host negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to stop the ongoing war. He emphasized that the stability and security of Iraq are crucial for the well-being of the region and called for addressing the Iranian nuclear issue through diplomacy to avoid new crises.
Erdogan stressed that the world is larger than just five countries, calling for the reform of the Security Council system to make it more just and for promoting a culture of coexistence in the face of racism and Islamophobia. He also emphasized the importance of harnessing artificial intelligence to assist countries rather than oppress them and working to reduce polluting emissions to zero in line with the global trend.