“We will continue our struggle until an independent Palestinian state is established”
Speaking at the Opening Event of the 41st Session of COMCEC, President Erdoğan said: “We, together, will continue our struggle until an independent, sovereign and geographically integral Palestinian state is established based on the 1967 borders, with East al-Quds as its capital.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a speech at the Opening Event of the 41st Session of the COMCEC in Istanbul.
“OIC’s SUPPORT IS CRUCIAL FOR THE PRESERVATION OF SYRIA’S POLITICAL UNITY AND TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY”
Stressing that Syria, under the sagacious leadership of President Ahmad Al-Sharaa, has entered a period of recovery with the December 8 revolution following 14 years of bloodshed, President Erdoğan commemorated with mercy the Syrians who sacrificed their lives for liberation, and said: “I would like to express my great pleasure over Syria’s participation in the COMCEC Ministerial Session after a long hiatus. From transportation to education, security to trade, health to social services, we as Türkiye continue to lend support to the Syrian people. OIC’s support is crucial for the preservation of Syria’s political unity and territorial integrity and the establishment of lasting prosperity for our Syrian brothers and sisters from all walks of life. Syria’s integration with regional economies will deliver concrete contributions both to Syria and the region. Without doubt, it is vitally important for us to focus on the implementation of transportation projects, which constitute the most critical leg of the integration.
President Erdoğan stated: “I am pleased to note that the sanctions, which create a major obstacle before economic development in Syria, are being gradually lifted also through our efforts. At the current stage, we encourage private sector to direct their investments to Syria. Our neighbor Syria’s revival and its swift return to its old days is our main priority. In this direction, we are today launching a special support program for Syria under the umbrella of COMCEC. As part of this program, which will contribute to the strengthening of the social and institutional capacity, we will provide Syria with project supports in areas such as education, expert exchange, needs assessment, and feasibility analysis. I believe the member states will significantly contribute to the implementation phase of the program.”
“TURKISH CYPRIOT PEOPLE ARE AN INDISPENSABLE PART OF THE ISLAMIC WORLD”
Noting that among the participants of the event are Turkish Cypriots as well, President Erdoğan said: “The Turkish Cypriot people are an indispensable part of the Islamic world. It is ruthless that because of this identity of them, they have been subjected to a lawless, illegal and brutal isolation for decades. However, our Turkish Cypriot brothers and sisters have never bowed to the oppression, nor relinquished their will to live with dignity in their homeland, nor let their sovereign equality be a matter of discussion. We are receiving strong signals of an intention to add the island of Cyprus to the menu in the new imperial plot hatched for our region. In this regard, we find it all the more important that the OIC strengthen its solidarity with the Turkish Cypriot people. I expect you to lend a stronger support to Turkish Cypriots’ fight for rights, freedoms and justice on the basis of a two-state solution. As the motherland and as a guarantor country, we will never leave the Turkish Cypriot people alone, and will always stand by them in their rightful case.”
“WE CANNOT ALLOW THE ANNEXATION OF THE WEST BANK”
Pointing out that Gaza has experienced one of the most atrocious and ruthless genocides of the last century for the past two years, President Erdoğan said: “The Hamas-Israel talks, which were hosted by Egypt and we contributed to, resulted in a ceasefire. I once again offer my gratitude to all the regional countries that supported the process, particularly Qatar and Egypt. I am confident that we will carry this exemplary solidarity into the upcoming period in a stronger manner. I also would like to reiterate my thanks to U.S. President Trump for the will he displayed in the establishment of the ceasefire.”
President Erdoğan went on: “Hamas looks determined to comply with the agreement. However, we all see that Israel’s record in this regard is extremely poor. We are faced with an administration which, hiding behind various excuses, has massacred over 200 innocent people since the ceasefire agreement and continued its attacks and occupation in the West Bank without pause. These attacks, which target not only civilians but also the path to peace, will never be able to thwart the search for a just and lasting solution. At the point we have reached, we must increase our humanitarian aid to the Gazan people and then launch the reconstruction works. The Israeli government is doing anything in its power to prevent this as well. We believe the reconstruction plan prepared by the Arab League and the OIC must be implemented immediately. It is particularly imperative for the OIC and the COMCEC to assume a leading role in Gaza’s revival. We cannot allow the annexation of the West Bank, nor the alteration of al-Quds’ status, nor any attempts to undermine the sanctity of al-Aqsa Mosque. We, together, will continue our struggle until an independent, sovereign and geographically integral Palestinian state is established based on the 1967 borders, with East al-Quds as its capital.”
“IT IS OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE THAT WE STAND BY THE PEOPLE OF SUDAN”
Drawing attention to the conflicts underway for 29 months in Sudan, President Erdoğan said: “No one who carries a heart in their chest, not a stone, can accept the massacres against the civilian population in El Fasher in recent days. We cannot remain silent about this. Without doubt, the primary responsibility for immediately stopping the bloodshed in Sudan lies with the Islamic world. As Muslims, we must be able to solve our problems by ourselves rather than expect solutions from others. We must safeguard Sudan’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence. It is of critical importance that we stand by the people of Sudan, maintaining our humanitarian aid and development support. I wholeheartedly believe that all members of the OIC, in line with our brotherhood, will share the burden to bring peace, calm and security to Sudan.”
“I INVITE THE COUNTRIES THAT HAVE NOT YET BECOME A PARTY TO THE PREFERENTIAL TRADE SYSTEM TO JOIN US”
President Erdoğan added: “When we look at the last 50 years of the OIC, it is an undeniable fact that our countries couldn’t obtain their rightful share from the world trade. While the average income per capita in OIC member states increased from 1,169 dollars to 4,453 dollars during this period, the world average surged from 2,611 dollars to over 13,000 dollars in the same timeframe. Our share in world trade, likewise, remained at the level of 11 percent, making no progress. We are way behind the 25 percent target in intra-OIC trade. The Islamic world, which possesses 60 percent of global natural gas reserves, 65 percent of global oil resources and 25 percent of global population, has yet to reach the level it desires in international trade. It is of course possible for us to take steps to change this situation. The joint programs and projects we carry out within COMCEC are of great importance in this regard. Likewise, efforts aimed at increasing the number of members and expanding the scope of the Preferential Trade System, which we launched in 2022 with the goal of strengthening the trade among us, is equally important. We expect all OIC members to support the efforts aimed at consolidating this system with a new generation of trade agreements. I invite the countries that have not yet become a party to the Preferential Trade System to join us, and the state parties to deepen our cooperation in trade.”
