“The United Nations needs to be completely reformed”

 

Speaking at the TRT World Forum, President Erdoğan said: “The United Nations needs to be completely reformed. The world cannot be left in the hands of the five permanent members. Urgent reform is required. Five permanent members and 15 non-permanent members... It will not work. It is not feasible to govern the world in this way.”

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made a speech at the TRT World Forum in Istanbul.

“HUMANITY IS AT A TURNING POINT”

President Erdoğan stressed that the world, suffering in the grip of wars, conflicts, negligences and inequalities, is going through a crisis of conscience and leadership at the present time.

“Humanity is at a turning point. The incidents that will affect not only the next 5-10 years but also our grandchildren's future are taking place. The humanitarian crises raging in many regions, from Gaza to Ukraine, from West Africa to South Asia, demonstrate the fragility of the current world order in a starker manner at every turn. Nevertheless, it is an undeniable fact that these crises are actually a call for stronger solidarity for the common future of humanity,” said President Erdoğan. 

“THE WORLD CANNOT BE LEFT IN THE HANDS OF THE FIVE PERMANENT MEMBERS”

Underlining that every crisis is also an opportunity, President Erdoğan stated: “Every crisis is a window of opportunity that opens to justice, peace, calm, security and stability. For those who can interpret it correctly, every crisis has the potential to herald a new era and to be the precursor of a new beginning. This has countless examples in the history of humanity. One of the most significant outcomes of the Second World War, in which millions of people were killed, was the establishment of the United Nations, the broadest platform where all countries, big and small alike, could come together. Yet, can we continue with the United Nations as it is now? No. The United Nations needs to be completely reformed. The world cannot be left in the hands of the five permanent members. Urgent reform is required. Five permanent members and 15 non-permanent members... It will not work. It is not feasible to govern the world in this way.”

President Erdoğan added: “We no longer live under the circumstances of the Second World War. The world has changed, and it continues to change. Thus, a comprehensive reform is imperative in keeping with this change. I know they will not appreciate it; but, the fate of 194 countries cannot be left to the whims of just one of the five permanent members.” 

“RELIABILITY OF THE GLOBAL SYSTEM, PARTICULARLY THE UNITED NATIONS, HAS BEEN TESTED IN GAZA”

Stressing that there are a large number of organizations and institutions that came into existence during and after periods of crisis to prevent the recurrence of tragedies, sufferings and grave human rights violations, President Erdoğan cited the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International Criminal Court, and the Alliance of Civilizations as some of the examples, and continued: “No doubt that their existence is a valuable achievement for all human beings, for the future of humanity. However, we all know for sure that what really matters is practice, action, the efficacy of these organizations, which have tens of thousands of personnel and billions of dollars of budgets. During the Gaza crisis, we have witnessed this reality in a striking manner. In a similar fashion, the Russia-Ukraine war, about to enter its fourth year, has exposed the fragility of the rules-based international system. I would like to point out that in Gaza, not only humanitarian values but also the reliability of the global system, particularly the United Nations, has been tested. Yet, neither the humanity nor the system passed the Gaza test successfully.”

“70 PERCENT OF THOSE MASSACRED IN GAZA ARE WOMEN AND CHILDREN”

Drawing attention to the painful picture marked by a massive plight and a disgrace for humanity, President Erdoğan said: “In the war to our north, nearly half a million people are estimated to have died. In Israel’s attacks on Gaza, 50 thousand innocent Palestinians have been taken away from life before the very eyes of the entire world. The number of the dead in Lebanon nears 4 thousand. 70 percent of those massacred in Gaza are women and children. Over 100 thousand Gazans have been wounded in the attacks. Cities, with their entire infrastructures and superstructures, have been annihilated. In the Gaza Strip, inhabited by nearly 2.3 million people before the start of the attacks, almost no building remains standing now. Hospitals, schools, places of worship, and many more civilian areas have been hit. All the principles, norms and red lines related to the law of war and humanitarian law have been crossed, violated and trampled up on.” 

Underscoring that Türkiye does not categorically nurture animosity against any country or nation, nor harbors anger against anyone just because of their faith, culture or race, President Erdoğan said: “The endpoint of this humanitarian tragedy permitted due to the shame of the Holocaust is a dead end, a catastrophe. Whatever Türkiye does is for peace, justice, and regional security. Whatever we say is for all faiths to live in peace side by side, as was the case throughout our ancestry’s four-century rule.”

“WE HOPE THAT THE CEASEFIRE ESTABLISHED BETWEEN ISRAEL AND LEBANON WOULD BE PERMANENT”

Throughout history, the Turkish nation has always opened its doors wide to anyone who has faced oppression, whether Jewish or Christian, stressed President Erdoğan. “This nation opened its doors to the over 500 thousand Jews expelled from Spain. We opened our doors and they have since lived with us as our guests. In our mindset, we neither question the innocent’s identity nor care about the oppressor’s faith. I am saying it openly. We want this insanity, which has engulfed our region in bloodshed for exactly 420 days, to come to an end. In this regard, we believe that the arrest warrant the ICC issued for Netanyahu and Gallant is very important. Also, we hope that the ceasefire established the day before yesterday between Israel and Lebanon would be permanent.”

Emphasizing that Türkiye stands ready to put it all on the line to stop the genocide in Gaza and pave the way for lasting peace, President Erdoğan, referring to the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, added that Türkiye will continue to support the Palestinians’ just cause in a much stronger manner.