UPDATE - Türkiye leads joint call to UN Security Council to halt arms shipments to Israel

UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS FROM TÜRKİYE’S FOREIGN MINISTER

By Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) — Türkiye, along with 53 other signatories, has sent a joint letter to the UN Security Council urging it to take immediate action to halt the flow of weapons and ammunition to Israel, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced on Sunday.

The letter, led by Türkiye's initiative, was signed by 52 countries and two international organizations, and submitted to the UN on Nov. 1, calling for a cessation of arms supplies to Israel.

“We must reiterate at every opportunity that selling weapons to Israel amounts to complicity in genocide,” Fidan said at a news conference in Djibouti, where he attended the third Ministerial Review Conference of Türkiye-Africa Partnership.

Fidan highlighted that Israel's ability to procure weapons and ammunition from other countries has fueled terror in the region.

"We must prevent Israel from purchasing arms and munitions. We need to keep our sensitivity on this issue on the agenda at every platform,” he added.

Stating that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration has become a “global threat,” he urged all countries to prevent Israel from ignoring international law.

"There is genocide in Gaza. Netanyahu's intention is to completely eliminate the two-state solution by using every means possible,” he stressed.

Asserting that Netanyahu is trying to expand the conflict to other regions, particularly Lebanon, he underlined the need for collective action to prevent further violations of international law by Israel.

Fidan also expressed Türkiye's support for African nations giving voice to global conscience, pointing out South Africa's role spearheading the genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.

He stressed that the current global international order must change as it is unable to resolve historical injustices and instead reproduces them.

“This inevitable transformation will occur under the leadership of African countries, which the current international system has ignored,” Fidan said.

- Relations with Africa

Ankara's actions in its relations with African countries are guided by an understanding of equal partnership and mutual benefit at every step, the Turkish foreign minister underlined.

“We want to increase, not diminish, the wealth of this continent. We believe that African solutions should be found for Africa's problems. Our aim is for the projects we develop to provide lasting and sustainable contributions to Africa.

“We implement our Africa policy with a holistic understanding that encompasses the efforts of our public institutions, private sector, and civil society organizations. Fortunately, our cooperation with Africa has gained a multidimensional quality,” he stated.

Noting that under the leadership of President Ismail Omar Guelleh, Djibouti is among Türkiye’s most important partners on the continent, Fidan said Ankara would continue working closely with the Horn of Africa nation.

Numerous challenges face the different regions of Africa, he said, urging efforts to find solutions for these issues, ranging from food security and debt crisis to climate change.

Türkiye currently has 44 embassies and six consulates in Africa, Fidan noted, adding that the number of embassies of African nations in Türkiye's capital Ankara has reached 38.

He highlighted that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan holds the record for the most visits to Africa by a leader from outside the continent.

Cooperation between Türkiye and Africa has also been advancing in the economic sphere, with the total trade volume increasing from $5.4 billion in 2003 to $35 billion in 2023, Fidan noted.

Türkiye’s direct investments in African countries have surpassed $7 billion, with Turkish companies having undertaken over 1,800 projects valued at approximately $85 billion, he added.

Fidan also laid emphasis on Türkiye's desire to further increase these figures as the country continues exploring opportunities together with its African partners.

- 4th Türkiye-Africa Partnership Summit to take place in 2026

On the Ministerial Review Conference of Türkiye-Africa Partnership, Fidan said he was confident that it had served to significantly boost Ankara's cooperation with the African Union, adding that participants had addressed regional and global developments, especially in the Middle East.

Underlining the significance of the decisions made during the conference, also known as the Third Türkiye-Africa Partnership Summit, he said progress on goals outlined in the 2022-2026 Joint Action Plan between the sides was under assessment.

Preparations for the next summit were also discussed, Fidan noted, adding that a joint working group would be set up to track activities conducted in collaboration with the African Union.

The joint declaration adopted at the conference will guide future efforts, along with the 2022-2024 joint implementation report, he added.

Fidan highlighted Ankara’s desire for peace and stability in Africa. He said Türkiye would extend a helping hand to friendly nations seeking its support, sharing its experience in counterterrorism and engaging in mediation activities.