Turkish president led intense diplomatic efforts in November, focusing on Gaza war, climate change

By Zafer Fatih Beyaz and Ferdi Turkten

ANKARA (AA) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan participated in five high-level international summits in November, addressing global issues ranging from the war in Gaza to climate change, while reiterating Türkiye’s calls for justice and stability in the region.

According to information compiled by Anadolu, Erdogan began the month in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, attending the 11th Summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) on Nov. 5-6.

Speaking at the event, themed "Empowering the Turkic World: Economic Integration, Sustainable Development, Digital Future, and Security for All,” Erdogan accused the international community of failing to stop the genocide in Gaza and other occupied Palestinian territories.

“The international community is failing badly in stopping the genocide occurring in the occupied Palestinian territories, notably in Gaza,” Erdogan said.

He criticized the UN Security Council for inaction, saying: “The United Nations Security Council, tasked with safeguarding international peace and security, is even incapable of convening to reach a decision. To be more correct, it is unwilling to do so.”

Underlining that about 50,000 innocent people have been murdered in Gaza Strip, Erdogan said: “As Türkiye, we do not accept this atrocity and inhuman massacre. Both at bilateral and multilateral platforms, we are exerting every effort in our power to stop Israel and establish permanent peace based on a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, with East al-Quds as its capital. I believe the Turkic world should adopt a decisive stance as well.”

- Push for EU membership in Hungary

From Kyrgyzstan, Erdogan traveled to Budapest, Hungary, for the 5th European Political Community Summit on Nov. 6-7.

Addressing Türkiye’s long-standing bid to join the EU, Erdogan described a fair enlargement policy as the EU’s most important geopolitical tool.

“There is no reasonable justification for blocking for years the accession of a member country like Türkiye, which significantly contributes to the prosperity and security of the continent.”

He also underscored Türkiye’s role as a stabilizing force with its cultural ties, military strength, and principled foreign policy.

Turning to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, he said the tragedy was a "shared disgrace for humanity".

“Added to this are the immoral and unlawful attacks recently targeting the West Bank and Lebanon. Considering that nearly 50,000 people have already lost their lives, any conscientious human being sees and acknowledges the fact that all aspects of pressure must be exerted on Israel for the immediate declaration of a cease-fire and the uninterrupted and adequate supply of humanitarian aid to the region. Those who unconditionally support Israel’s aggression should know that they have become partners in the crimes committed.”

- Official visits to Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan

On Nov. 11-12, Erdogan made official visits to Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan, addressing critical regional issues.

At the Extraordinary Joint Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League, he said that Israel, while escalating the military tension with Iran, is concurrently carrying on with its attacks against Lebanon.

Underling that Tel Aviv cannot even tolerate humanitarian aid reaching the war-torn enclave, keeping the dispatched relief supplies on hold in Egypt for months, he said: “We must, on one hand, focus on ensuring an immediate declaration of cease-fire, and on the other hand, urgently find ways to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.”

“Israel’s goal is to settle in Gaza and wipe out the Palestinian existence in the West Bank, including East al-Quds, ultimately annexing it. There is a step-by-step progress in this direction. We must stop this.”

“The situation on the ground has unfortunately reached this point since a handful of western countries have provided every sort of military, political, economic and moral support to Israel while Muslim countries have failed in giving an adequate response.”

Later that day, the Turkish leader traveled to Baku to attend the World Leaders Climate Action Summit of the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29).

Addressing the COP29 high-level segment for heads of state and government, President Erdogan condemned Israel's attacks on Gaza and Lebanon, describing them as “lawless, immoral and unscrupulous attacks.”

“The current administration unfortunately keeps massacring people, ignoring whether they are children, women or elderly, and causing a great environmental destruction. The chemicals leaked to soil and underground water due to Israeli attacks have already destroyed the future of the children of Gaza. We think that those, who have caused this grave humanitarian and environmental disaster, must be held to account before international courts."

- G20 summit in Brazil

Erdogan concluded his diplomatic efforts at the G20 leaders' summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Nov. 18-19.

Addressing the G20 summit’s first session, which focused on ‘social inclusion and the fight against hunger and poverty’, he said: “96% of the Gazan people, over two million people in other words, have no access to healthy food and water. The conditions of the Gazan people worsen each passing day as a result of the increasing attacks and the upcoming winter season. In the face of the ongoing humanitarian disaster in Gaza, I once again call for the establishment of an immediate and lasting cease-fire.”

Throughout November, Erdogan held bilateral and multilateral meetings with world leaders, focusing on issues such as global security, economic cooperation, and climate change.

* Writing by Seda Sevencan