President Erdoğan addressed the nation after the Cabinet Meeting
Delivering remarks following the Presidential Cabinet Meeting, President Erdoğan said: “In 2025, we will continue to implement our strategy of high-quality growth in Türkiye through investment, employment, production, export, and current account surplus. The positive effects of our economic program will become even more visible in many areas in the period ahead.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a press conference following the Presidential Cabinet Meeting at the Presidential Complex.
“THE RESERVES OF OUR CENTRAL BANK ARE STEADILY INCREASING”
“I would like to give the good news in economy. The reserves of our Central Bank are steadily increasing. Our gross reserves increased to 163.5 billion dollars last week, reaching the highest level so far. The employment front is also performing quite well. Over the past year, employment has increased by one million, and unemployment rate has dropped to 8.8%. In 2025, we will continue to implement our strategy of high-quality growth in Türkiye through investment, employment, production, export, and current account surplus. The positive effects of our economic program will become even more visible in many areas in the period ahead”, President Erdoğan said.
“WE HAVE HAD A VERY BUSY AGENDA IN FOREIGN POLICY”
Drawing attention to the busy schedule in foreign policy since the last cabinet meeting, President Erdoğan stated: “We have had a very busy agenda in foreign policy since the last cabinet meeting. We successfully held the 15th Ambassadors’ Conference, during which critical issues were addressed, at the Presidential Complex.”
President Erdoğan continued his remarks as follows: “We came together with children from Gaza and Syria during the ‘Face of the Brotherhood’ event held on the 76th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. On December 11, we hosted President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia in our country. We had a meeting of over seven hours with both leaders and their delegations. We have crossed yet another critical threshold in the Ankara Process, which we launched eight months ago to solve the problems between the two friendly countries. The East African region has long been associated with tensions, hunger, terrorist attacks, and imperialists’ divide and rule policies. We know very well that these insidious scenarios are still at play. We believe that the historic step taken with the Ankara Declaration with contribute to the establishment of permanent peace, calm, and stability in the Horn of Africa.”
Noting that the Turkish-Hungarian Cultural Year was celebrated on the occasion of the 100th year of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Türkiye and Hungary, President Erdoğan said: “We held the closing ceremony of the Turkish-Hungarian Cultural with President Sulyok and Prime Minister Orban at Beştepe Nation’s Convention and Culture Center on December 12.”
“Our deep and close relations with the friendly and brotherly country Qatar are well known by all,” President Erdoğan stressed. “During the visit of my brother, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar, to our country, we discussed a wide range of issues, particularly the recent developments in Syria. We will support Syria’s efforts to heal its wounds and get back on its feet after a war of 13 years.”
Touching upon the Lebanese Prime Minister’s recent visit to Türkiye, President Erdoğan said: “The visit to our country by Mr. Najib Mikati, Prime Minister of Lebanon, which has been targeted by Israeli attacks, was extremely valuable to us. Mr. Mikati is endeavoring to shoulder a heavy burden during one of the most difficult periods for his country. I am fully confident that my brother Najib will lead his country to peace and calm through his wise and strong leadership. We, on our part, will not let down the trust placed in our country and myself, and stand by the Lebanese people with all our means in this process.”
President Erdoğan went onto say: “We also had a very productive meeting with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. I expressed the need for a new vision that would strengthen Türkiye’s full membership to the European Union. We will stay in close contact with the European Union on regional issues.”
“THE SINCERE DIALOGUE DEVELOPING BETWEEN TÜRKİYE AND EGYPT HAS POSITIVE IMPLICATIONS IN MANY AREAS”
“We were in Cairo on December 19 to attend the 11th D-8 Summit at the invitation of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt,” President Erdoğan said. “The D-8, whose establishment was led by the late Erbakan in 1997, firmly continues on its path with a population that surpasses one billion and is represented in three continents. The membership of the brotherly Azerbaijan has further strengthened the D-8. During the summit, we had meetings with the participating heads of state and government besides Egyptian President Mr. el-Sisi. Our Egyptian brothers and sisters have experienced significant difficulties in the Gazan crisis. They have always facilitated the delivery of our country’s humanitarian aid to innocents in Gaza. The sincere dialogue developing between Türkiye and Egypt has positive implications in many areas, particularly in trade and diplomacy. We will continue to coordinate with the Egyptian authorities. I would like to thank President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi for their successful organization of the D-8 Summit and warm hospitality. On behalf of my country and my nation, I once again greet the Egyptian people.”
“A BRAND NEW ERA HAS BEGUN IN SYRIA”
Commenting on the latest developments in Syria, President Erdoğan said: “With the fall of Damascus, the flight of Assad, and the overthrow of the 61-year Baath regime on December 8, a brand new era has begun in Syria. The new situation that emerged from the Syrian revolution has directed the world's attention to this place. As Syria’s brother and neighbor, we are the country that best analyzes the new process.”
President Erdoğan added: “We are in close dialogue with Mr. Ahmed al-Sharaa, leader of the Syrian revolution. Upon our instructions, first our MİT Director visited him. Then, we swiftly opened our Embassy in Damascus. And yesterday, our Foreign Minister was in Damascus. He held very warm talks with the interim administration in Syria. Our visits will increasingly continue in the period ahead.”
“A STABLE SYRIA IS A SOURCE OF STABILITY AND SECURITY FOR THE WHOLE REGION”
“We will provide any kind of support to ensure that the victory of the Syrian people, who won the war against the brutal regime, becomes permanent. With Allah’s help, the most difficult times are now over. Blood of the martyrs and sufferings of the Syrian people have not been in vain. I am sure that our Syrian brothers and sisters, who terminated the 61-year-long Baathist darkness, will revive their country in unity and solidarity. I am of the opinion that Syria’s neighbors understand the fact that a stable Syria is a source of stability and security for the whole region. As Syria achieves more peace, everyone in the region will feel safer. To this end, we should all stand in solidarity with the Syrian people in their efforts for reconstruction and capacity building. This is what the Syrian people expect from the Arab world and the Islamic world. We find the moderate messages given by the new government in this regard very valuable and meaningful,” President Erdoğan said.
Drawing attention to Israel’s escalating attacks on Syria, President Erdoğan said: “It is understood that behind Israel's increasing aggression is to overshadow the revolution in Syria and stifle the hopes of the Syrian people. Even if Israel acts opportunistically, sooner or later, it will withdraw from the lands it occupied. It will be forced to do so. As I have said already, the path followed by Netanyahu, who has the blood of 50 thousand innocent Gazans in his hands, is not a right path. Shedding more blood, taking more lives, and occupying more lands will only cause more insecurity and unease. The sooner they realize this, the better for them – if they have the wisdom of a statehood.”
“THERE IS NO PLACE FOR TERRORIST GROUPS IN THE FUTURE OF SYRIA AND OUR REGION”
“I would like to underline that the preservation of Syria's territorial integrity and unitary structure under all circumstances is Türkiye's unchangeable line. We will definitely not take a step back from this. There is no place in the future of Syria and the region for terrorist groups, including DAESH and the PKK. The PKK and its extensions will either dissolve themselves or will ultimately be eliminated. We will definitely make sure that these herds of murderers - who oppress our Kurdish brothers and sisters, kidnap their children and send them to death, and deny the right to life and speech to anyone other than themselves – cease to become a source of threat to our region”, President Erdoğan said.
