Dubai: In his main address as a guest of honour at the World Governments Summit (WGS) 2024 in Dubai on Tuesday, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged world governments to unite in a world where crises, tensions and conflicts are triggering one another.
The session, held on the second day of the WGS, was attended by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE, and Ruler of Dubai.
Also attending the session were Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai; Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman and Chairman of the Ajman Executive Council; Sheikh Mohammed bin Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince of Ras Al Khaimah; Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group; and Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Ports and Borders Security Council.
Other attendees at the session included Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence; Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, and Chairman of the World Governments Summit; and a number of dignitaries, senior officials and state guests participating in the World Governments Summit.
Erdogan noted that one of the milestone visions that Turkey has adopted is establishing justice and peace in the region. The government of Turkey has lived up to this responsibility, he said.
He pointed to the successive crises that have pushed the world in a “stressful and concerning landscape”, referring to the Russia-Ukraine war that broke out as the world was reeling from the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the war dragged the global economy and energy sector into turmoil, Turkey played an active role in trying to de-escalate the situation by staging talks between both parties in Istanbul and establishing the Black Sea deal that mitigated the impact of the global food crisis.
Situation in Gaza
The Turkish President cited Gaza as an example of the consequences of leaving pressing issues unresolved, stressing that the Palestinian issue dates to before the October 7 attack.
“By sustaining the settlements on Palestinian lands despite the relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, Israel deems itself above international law and for many decades, illegal settlements and massacre policies have been sustained,” said Erdogan.
He pointed to the injustice that the Palestinians have been facing for decades, evident in the changing map of Palestine since 1948 that demonstrates “the severity of the situation”.
An independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders is imperative to achieving peace, stability and economic development in the region, said Erdogan.
“Every step taken will remain incomplete unless an independent, sovereign, and geographically integrated Palestinian state is established within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.”
The Turkish president called on all “conscientious” countries to protect the UN agency for Palestinian refugees or UNRWA, which he said provided a “lifeline for 6 million refugees in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine”.
The Gaza war, he said, has killed over 27,000 innocent civilians, majority of whom are women and children, wounded 70,000 people, and displaced about 1.5 million.
On Turkey role in the Gaza war, Erdogan said the country dispatched 34,000 tonnes of aid and hosted 380 patients and 344 family members for treatment.
He said Turkey has been following up on the implementation of international law against the humanitarian war crimes against the Gazan people. He thanked South Africa for filing a case of genocide in the International Court of Justice.
“We will never leave our Palestinian brothers abandoned, helpless, or alone,” he added.
Reflecting on efforts at home to meet the country’s vision of bringing justice and peace, the Turkish president said the focus now is largely on shaping the government of the future.
In two decades, Turkey grew tenfold in every field with a strong infrastructure, expanding economy, international influence, diplomacy, defence, and trade. He highlighted the progress despite the pressing challenges facing the country, namely heavy immigration and terrorism.
‘Earthquake of the century’
He referred to the ‘greatest earthquake of the century’ that hit Turkey last year, killing more than 53,000 citizens and impacting 14 million others, as well as damaging 11 Turkish districts.
“Throughout the year after, we eliminated debris and catered to the needs of our affected citizens. We completed 31,000 units of accommodation, and every month we will hand over 15,000 to 20,000 accommodation units. By the end of the year, more than 200,000 units will have been delivered to their right owner.”
He thanked the UAE for providing aid and support to his country that is “healing from the wounds”.
Erdogan also noted Turkey’s international contributions as a country that has been home to 2.3 million Syrian immigrants and 4 million refugees from all over the world.
