President Erdoğan spoke at the D-8 Summit
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a speech at the 11th D-8 Summit in Cairo.
“ORGANIZATIONS TASKED WITH SAFEGUARDING GLOBAL SECURITY DO NOT FULFIL THEIR DUTIES”
Noting that the importance of such notions as peace, dialogue, cooperation, justice and equality, which are included in the foundation philosophy of the D-8, is better understood today, President Erdoğan said: “Organizations that are tasked with safeguarding global security and stability unfortunately do not fulfil their duties in the face of escalating conflicts, crises and wars. We, at this point, see that not only the political system but also the economic order, the foundations of which were laid in the aftermath of World War II, are being shaken deeply. Global financial institutions are either unable to adapt to current realities or are hardly capable of providing the necessary support. I hope the decisions we will take during our summit, taking place in a very delicate period, may guide us in the resolution of problems.”
“WE SHOULD MAKE BETTER USE OF THE D-8’S EXISTING MEANS AND RESOURCES TO SUPPORT SMEs”
Noting that the youth and SMEs, which constitute the theme of the D-8 session, have also served as the engine of growth in Türkiye over the last 22 years, and said: “Young people make up the majority of our member states’ total population numbering over 1 billion. At a time of aging populations in the West, Europe included, a young population offers significant advantages for us if it is put to good use. As Türkiye, we know that the youth’s utmost participation in the economy is essential for sustainable development. We carry out projects and programs to improve our youth’s technological and digital skills. We aim to contribute to global justice and development by including the least developed countries in TEKNOFEST, the world's largest aviation and space festival. I believe that we should make better use of the D-8’s existing means and resources to support SMEs. From trade to investment, rural development to agriculture, tourism to energy and transportation, it would be beneficial to implement informative programs for SMEs in various areas. Programs should be developed to enable SMEs to gain maximum benefit from the preferential trade practices, one of our organization’s most important initiatives. These programs will also significantly contribute to the trade between our states. It will now be possible to put the preferential trade agreement into practice in a much larger framework with Egypt’s ratification of the agreement.”
“SYRIAN PEOPLE NEED UNITY AND SOLIDARITY”
Stressing that the D-8 must keep its gates open to new members and partners to expand its area of influence, President Erdoğan said: “In this regard, I totally agree with the request made by the President of Indonesia. Today, we are stronger than yesterday with the D-8 membership of Azerbaijan, which has made significant achievements in recent years. I would like to say ‘welcome to our D-8 family’, to the brotherly Azerbaijan.”
Stressing that critical developments are taking place both in the region and the world, President Erdoğan stated: “I will elaborate on our opinions on the situation in Palestine and Lebanon during the second session, which is dedicated to these issues. I am following very closely the recent developments in Syria through a perspective that prioritizes the Syrian people’s interests. The Syrian people need unity, solidarity, reconciliation, and to revive their war-torn country swiftly. In this difficult period, we work to contribute to the establishment of stability in Syria. We emphasize at every opportunity the importance we attach to the restoration of Syria’s territorial integrity and unity. Our sincerest expectation is the reconstruction of a terror-free Syria where all ethnic groups live side by side in peace. I believe that we as the D-8 members should stand with our Syrian brothers and sisters in this uphill struggle they are waging.”
