Speaking at the "Türkiye as a Stabilising Power in the Age of Global Uncertainty Conference" at the Kahramanmaraş Fair Centre as part of the 8th International Book and Culture Fair, Presidency’s Director of Communications Fahrettin Altun stated that 2002 marked the beginning of a challenge to the pro-Western capitulatory order.
At the start of his speech, Director of Communications Altun wished Allah's mercy once more on the Martyr Specialist Sergeant Kürşat Sert and patience to the martyr's family. Director of Communications Altun stated that the martyr's family, fully comprehending the meaning of martyrdom, received the news of martyrdom with great fortitude and that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with the martyr's father and offered condolences.
Noting that he will speak about the regional and global position of Türkiye, which he defines as a stabilising power in an era of global uncertainty, Director of Communications Altun said that in his book with the same title, he tries to explain both Türkiye's being an island of stability and its contribution to the region as a stabilising power.
According to Director of Communications Altun, the current era is characterised as one of global uncertainty because we are experiencing dominantly fierce conflicts, disorder, and chaos.
Director of Communications Altun explained how it was assumed that an era of global stability would emerge when the Cold War ended, but wars and conflicts did not end, and that waves of instability in various parts of the world manifest themselves in different ways in Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, and Palestine. According to him, the Russia-Ukraine war and the Syrian crisis have emerged as the most volatile waves of instability.
Director of Communications Altun noted that instability means chaos and uncertainty and that the global pandemic, migration waves, energy and food crisis, and climate change exacerbate this uncertainty.
"We must examine the development of history"
Director of Communications Altun stated that there are humanitarian tragedies caused by global injustice and inequality all over the world and that the current hunger crisis in Africa is not the result of African laziness and inadequacy but of the destruction caused by global injustice.
Director of Communications Altun argued that if we explore the origins of these issues, we will find that they all have a historical background and that in order to comprehend the present, we must examine the development of history.
According to Director of Communications Altun, there is a historical development behind today's global instability, and it is necessary to look at the period when Western dominance emerged, particularly after the 19th century.
Noting that this order has two major headings for non-Western societies, namely "a Western order in the international arena" and a "Western dependent order," Director of Communications Altun stated that these titles are “the hegemony of Western powers on the one hand, and systems established by Western elites that ground this Western hegemony and accept it as essential in the non-Western world on the other.”
Director of Communications Altun stated that Türkiye has been in a modernisation process for 200 years, which can be read as a Westernisation process, and that this 200-year process is also a "Westernisation process," which means "the social engineering process carried out by the Western elites."
Fahrettin Altun stated that the Western dependency order worked in three phases: the first phase used hard power, the second phase built an international order based on non-Western societies' dependence on the Western world with the international organisations established after World War II, and the third phase created a consent regime in which the non-Western world accepted the West's dominance in advance.
“A mental shift took place"
Director of Communications Altun stated that Türkiye was in such a consent regime in the 2000s, that it could not make its presence felt in the international arena at the time, that it was viewed as a predictable, loyal ally to the West driven by the West, that it tried to survive by following the IMF prescriptions imposed on it, and that it was in a spiral of crises, and added, "When the AK Party movement, led by our President, achieved success in 2002, coming out of the elections as the leading party, it represented more than just a change in power. Right then and there, a mental shift took place.”
Director of Communications Altun indicated that a new paradigm rose to power and said:
“A time of challenge and struggle started against the pro-Western capitulatory order, Western hegemony, and domestic tutelage supporters who were under their control, as the pro-Western capitulatory order had established a tutelage supporting group within the country. Efforts were made to enhance the country's prosperity, independence, peace, and development. This transformed Türkiye initially into a significant regional player in the international arena. Later, Türkiye evolved into an actor who became an actor in global issues, whose approach to global issues is asked, who sets up games and ends games.”
Noting that this period of time was also a challenge to pro-Western elements and dogmas, Director of Communications Altun went on to say:
“We must be clear about one thing at this time. Today, Türkiye moves forward by prioritising its historical experience, cultural authenticity, philosophical depth, strategic capabilities, political acquis, and claims in all of its efforts, from the economy to foreign policy, from the fight against terrorism to humanitarian aid, and our President is at the helm of it all. Due to this fact, Türkiye's socio-political, socio-economic, and socio-cultural spheres have undergone enormous changes in recent years. Türkiye has attained independence and established a strong presence in regional and global politics. This has fundamentally contributed to a cultural, social, and political sense of self-assurance. It has been a source of hope not only for the Turkish society but also for oppressed regions and the Muslim world."
"Türkiye started to care for its surroundings"
Director of Communications Altun stated that the areas of economic integration that Türkiye established with its neighbours became a crucial element in its rise to regional preeminence, elaborating that Türkiye started to care for its surroundings as it resolved its internal problems and made strides toward political stability.
Director of Communications Altun added, “In addition, the Turkish government has presented a dynamic foreign policy vision for the resolution of regional crises and global conflicts. In this manner, it has become a stabilising actor, a stabilising force. In my book, I argue that the concept of stabilising power should be used to define Türkiye in international relations literature. Because Türkiye’s recent foreign policy performance has been distinctive.”
Noting that Türkiye employs more than just a protectionist foreign policy based on its own interests but is also a force that contributes to global stability, Director of Communications Altun stated that in the midst of the global waves of instability, Türkiye has emerged as an island of stability.
Pointing out how, due to this standing, Türkiye has been confronted with a series of attacks that began in the 2010s with the Gezi Park incidents and exacerbated, Director of Communications Altun further noted that the holders of hegemony in the international arena view this standing, which opposes western hegemony, as a serious threat and are attempting to prevent it.
“Because the modernisation movement after 2002 was a bottom-up movement that followed natural, organic socialisation, the people embraced this journey, this march. In every instance of foreign intervention, the nation has supported the state," said Director of Communications Altun, indicating that state-nation integration was also at work at the time. Altun then went on to say that this was most glaringly apparent during the July 15 coup attempt.
"We live in an era of global uncertainty that calls for strong leadership"
Director of Communications Altun stated that over the last 20 years, when global instability has been most severe, Türkiye has achieved a period of growth and breakthrough despite all hardship, capturing a unique modernisation experience, and added:
"We must recognise that credit for this achievement belongs primarily to our President. As someone who has witnessed our President's international contacts and daily work firsthand, I would like to make it perfectly clear that Türkiye's recent momentum and achievements in the international arena are the result of a strong, skilled, and decisive leadership. We live in an era of global uncertainty that calls for strong leadership. It is a time when strong, decisive leaders prosper, and weak, indecisive ones fail.
Our President has not capitulated to external impositions, social engineering ploys, or the pro-Western paradigm. Thanks to his moral sensitivity and initiative-taking ability, our President has enabled Türkiye to function as an actor capable of acting on its own behalf and account as a stabilising power, with a unique experience of modernisation, without yielding to external pressures or interventions."
Stating that this approach has been reflected in Türkiye's foreign policy in the last period, Director of Communications Altun pointed out how President Erdoğan has been at the centre of all regional and global issues for the past two months and has performed politics in front of the entire world's public opinion in a way that has openly and clearly articulated Türkiye's theses on the international arena.
Noting that President Erdoğan has delivered a determined political performance on many issues during his visits to eight different countries over the past two months, including reconciling relevant parties for the resolution of global and regional issues, especially the Russia-Ukraine War and the Syrian crisis, and convincing the other parties of Türkiye's theses, Director of Communications Altun recalled how two of these eight visits were to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting in Uzbekistan, where he met with eight leaders, and the United Nations General Assembly in the United States where he held talks with twenty-five leaders.
Just by observing these meetings can the central role of Türkiye, its stabilising role, and its contribution to the resolution of global crises be fully grasped, according to the Director of Communications Altun.
"An uncompromising stance"
As of today, Türkiye has taken an uncompromising stance when it comes to its own rights and interests, but it has also made significant efforts to reconcile the conflicting parties through all diplomatic means, said Director of Communications Altun, adding that it contributed to ensuring stability across a wide region extending from Syria to Libya, Africa to Ukraine.
Noting that Türkiye has done exceptionally well and achieved significant success in resolving the world’s claimed "unsolvable" grain crisis, in the prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine, and in the continuation of political talks, Director of Communications Altun stated:
"We will continue to contribute to ensuring stability throughout the world, from Syria to Libya, Africa to Ukraine, under the leadership of our President. As our President stated, we will continue to pursue our cause for a great and powerful Türkiye, with the motto that a fairer world is possible. We will continue to strengthen and defend the Türkiye models we have presented here, from humanitarian aid to peace diplomacy. The capacity and opportunities that Türkiye now has are available to all of us; it is an opportunity for this society and nation. In this age of global turmoil, Türkiye is an island of stability, a stabilising power, and an international power whose contribution to global problem solving is expected."
Highlighting that President Erdoğan was the only world leader who could speak to both leaders at the same time during the Russia-Ukraine crisis, which suddenly became a factor that was noticed throughout the international arena, and when this fact manifested itself, it became clear that Türkiye had prepared very seriously for this new period, an age of turmoil in the last 20 years, Director of Communications Altun stated, "With these preparations, I hope Türkiye's global role and stabilising role will become more visible in the upcoming period. Its contribution to global peace will become clearer. As long as this occurs, Türkiye will become a more prestigious country, and we, as citizens, will benefit from increased opportunities, capabilities, and substantial social welfare. I hope we can work together to make these days a reality."
Following the conference, Mayor of Kahramanmaraş Metropolitan Municipality Hayrettin Güngör presented Director of Communications Altun with a commemorative gift.
Turkish version of ‘Türkiye as a Stabilising Power in an Age of Turmoil’ published
Furthermore, the book “Türkiye as a Stabilising Power in an Age of Turmoil,” penned in English by Presidency’s Director of Communications Fahrettin Altun, has been published in Turkish.
At the conclusion of the conference, Director of Communications Altun signed the book for his readers, talked with young people to whom he distributed saplings, and posed for photos.
