“The continuation of the ceasefire in Gaza is crucial for the peace of the entire world”
Speaking at the G20 Session II: “A resilient world,” President Erdoğan said: “The continuation of the ceasefire in Gaza, achieved through the efforts of US President Trump and the contributions of leading regional countries, is crucial not only for the Palestinian people but also for the peace of the entire world. According to UN data, the destruction caused by Israel in Gaza has set back Palestine's development efforts by at least 70 years.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered remarks at the G20 Session II: “A resilient world” in in Johannesburg, South Africa.
“Following the devastating earthquakes we experienced on February 6, 2023, which we have dubbed the ‘disaster of the century,’ we are carrying out one of the world's largest construction operations. Within this framework, we recently completed the delivery of the 350,000th residential and commercial unit. With the completion of the remaining 100,000 units, we will have completed one of the world's largest construction activities in less than four years. The resilience we have displayed throughout this process has once again demonstrated the solid foundations of the Turkish economy,” President Erdoğan said.
“On the other hand, we are among the countries most severely affected by the negative impacts of the climate crisis. The agricultural frost we had in 2025 and the subsequent severe drought put significant pressure on both food prices and energy supply. Every painful experience we have endured shows that we must attach importance to the fight against climate change, sustainable development, and strengthening food and water security,” President Erdoğan said.
“WE ARE STRENGTHENING OUR ENVIRONMENTAL EFFORTS WITH THE ZERO WASTE PROJECT”
“Our Climate Law, adopted in recent months, marks a significant milestone in achieving our goal of net-zero emissions by 2053 and realizing our green development objectives. Within the scope of the law, we also aim to increase investments in clean technology and support the financing of a fair transition for all sectors. We plan to increase our solar and wind energy capacity to four times its current level by 2035. We have already increased the share of renewable energy in our total installed capacity to over 60 percent this year. Additionally, we are strengthening our environmental efforts with the Zero Waste Project, which has become a global environmental movement with the support of the United Nations. With these thoughts in mind, we plan to host the 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Türkiye next November. Considering the recent erosion of multilateralism, I find the agreement we have reached with Australia on this matter even more meaningful. We also commend the work of the South African presidency on food security,” President Erdoğan said.
Voicing his sincere belief that it would be very appropriate to increase, as the G20, efforts to ensure food security in the coming period, President Erdoğan said: “Surely, the economic cost of all these efforts is very high. I believe that a financing system that meets the needs of developing countries in particular must be implemented.”
“IT IS ESSENTIAL TO BEGIN RECONSTRUCTION IN GAZA WITHOUT DELAY”
“The continuation of the ceasefire in Gaza, achieved through the efforts of US President Trump and the contributions of leading regional countries, is crucial not only for the Palestinian people but also for the peace of the entire world,” President Erdoğan said. “According to United Nations data, the destruction caused by Israel in Gaza has set back Palestine's development efforts by at least 70 years. Unfortunately, in Gaza, we witnessed not only the destruction of the superstructure but also the destruction of the environment. The loss of more than 70,000 children, women, and innocent adults cannot be compensated for, nor can the scars it has left on the minds of future generations be erased. At this stage, it is essential to both accelerate humanitarian aid activities in Gaza and begin reconstruction activities without delay. We consider the role of United Nations agencies in coordinating humanitarian aid in Gaza to be indispensable. On the other hand, time is working against us, especially in addressing the housing problem amid winter conditions. We are determined and ready to contribute to the continuation of the ceasefire on the ground and the reconstruction of Gaza, and to stand by the Palestinian people as we have done so far. We once again emphasize that we, as the international community, must continue our efforts for a two-state solution, which is the only path to lasting peace.”
