Presidency's Head of Communications Burhanettin Duran spoke at the opening of the 17th Al Jazeera Forum held in Doha, the capital of Qatar.
Head of Communications Duran stated that they are gathered in Doha to address one of the defining questions of our time, explaining that the theme of the Forum was “the Palestinian Cause and the Regional Balance of Power in the Context of an Emerging Multipolar World” and said, “This theme compels us to confront not only the devastating realities in Gaza but also the deeper transformation of the international system itself.”
Head of Communications Duran said, “For more than two decades, we have been told that the world is in transition—that we are moving from one global order to another. Today, that narrative is no longer sufficient. The world is not just transitioning. It has already transitioned.”
Highlighting that we are living through the consequences of a historic rupture, Head of Communications Duran stated that the assumptions that once structured the post-war international system have fractured, the norms that defined the limits of acceptable behaviour have weakened, pandemics have exposed the fragility of global governance, and genocide has returned to the centre of international politics, not as an exception, but as a tolerated reality.
Head of Communications Duran pointed out that international institutions designed to prevent these tragedies failed publicly, repeatedly, and structurally, emphasising that the international system is characterised by fragmentation, competition, and institutional fatigue; that great power rivalry increasingly dominates global agendas; and that uncertainty has become a structural reality in this environment.
“Wars are now fought through narratives, digital platforms, and perception management"
Head of Communications Duran noted that what fundamentally distinguishes our era is the "full integration of information warfare into the logic of conflict itself," adding, “Wars are no longer confined to physical battlefields. They are fought through narratives, digital platforms, and perception management.”
Head of Communications Duran stated that technology companies, platform owners, and algorithm designers have emerged as powerful non-state actors, capable of shaping political outcomes without democratic accountability, and continued:
"Algorithmic control has introduced a new form of domination. It determines what is visible, what is credible, and what disappears. At this point, we must confront a fundamental question: What principle can generate order when hierarchy breaks down, institutions weaken, and power fragments? The answer is justice. Not just as a moral aspiration, but as an organising principle of political order. Justice produces legitimacy. Where justice exists, order is internalised rather than imposed.
Head of Communications Duran stressed that justice cannot exist without truth, and truth cannot survive without conditions that protect it, and said, "Our region carries a civilisational legacy that binds truth and justice together. From Al-Farabi to Ibn Khaldun, our intellectual tradition teaches us that civilisations endure not through domination, but through legitimacy, cohesion, and moral purpose."
"Regional problems demand regional solutions"
Head of Communications Duran pointed out that the Middle East today is experiencing multiple, overlapping crises, noting that the centre of gravity is shifting and that influence is no longer measured solely in military terms but is now defined by 'economic capacity, diplomatic networks, reconstruction leverage, and coalition-building ability.
Head of Communications Duran stated that the boundaries between security and humanitarian domains have collapsed and that humanitarian crises no longer merely accompany wars; they shape strategic outcomes.
Head of Communications Duran stated that while regional actors now possess unprecedented diplomatic and economic capacity, coordination remains the central challenge, adding, “Without collective action, individual power cannot generate durable stability.”
Head of Communications Duran stated that the “day after” has become as strategic as the war itself and said:
"Gaza and Syria remind us that wars are not concluded by ceasefires alone, but by governance arrangements, reconstruction frameworks, and political pathways. In this critical juncture, Türkiye’s vision is anchored in the principle of regional ownership. -a strategic framework that prioritizes local agency, operationalizes regional diplomacy, and strengthens collective capacity. Regional problems demand regional solutions."
Head of Communications Duran stated that the region now stands at such a juncture and said, “Either it resolves its internal fractures through cooperation, justice, and shared responsibility, or it turns inward – competing, fragmenting, and exporting instability outward.”
Stating, “If regional actors fail to manage their own conflicts, they do not remain local; they become fuel for global anarchy,” Head of Communications Duran indicated that the region is no longer just affected by the crisis of the international system but is positioned to either mitigate that crisis or to deepen it.
"Our core conviction is that stability can only be achieved through inclusive cooperation, mutual trust, and collective wisdom"
Presidency's Head of Communications Duran pointed out that the crises in the region have led to an ''unprecedented wave of insecurity,'' stating, ''This insecurity encompasses military conflicts, humanitarian disasters, economic pressure, information warfare, and political polarisation. In Gaza, this wave of insecurity is seen in its most striking form: mass destruction, profound trauma, genocide, and humanitarian collapse.''
In this context, emphasising that regional and Gulf actors possess decisive tools such as diplomatic leverage, reconstruction capacity, mediation channels, and consensus-building authority, the Presidency's Head of Communications Duran continued:
''We must unite around two absolute and non-negotiable imperatives: ending this war and preventing all forms of displacement. Secondly, instead of leaving a vacuum that agendas causing instability can easily fill, we must actively shape the ''day after'' by establishing reliable governance frameworks. Thirdly, we must ensure that reconstruction is closely linked to political feasibility, effective protection mechanisms, and lasting stability.''
Presidency's Head of Communications Duran stated that Türkiye has taken a series of concrete steps to ensure the region contributes to global stability in peace and security in this new era and invited all countries in the region to share this common responsibility, adding, ''Our core conviction is that stability can only be achieved through inclusive cooperation, mutual trust, and collective wisdom. First, we have undertaken significant initiatives to establish the necessary mechanisms to resolve all disputes and disagreements in our region through dialogue and diplomacy.''
Pointing to Türkiye’s facilitating role—from the normalisation process between Azerbaijan and Armenia, to relations between Somalia and Ethiopia, from the Grain Corridor Agreement between Ukraine and Russia, to the recent Iran crisis—Presidency's Head of Communications Duran stated, ''All these examples demonstrate themselves in this initiative.''
''Through all these efforts, we aim to build our own knowledge and diplomacy ecosystem''
Presidency's Head of Communications Duran stated that Türkiye is promoting the establishment of an inclusive and sustainable regional security architecture in a time when the world is becoming increasingly complex, saying, ''We believe that this architecture must not only produce solutions to intra-regional challenges, but also build a shared capacity to respond to threats originating beyond the region.''
Additionally, stating that Türkiye has devoted sustained effort to the recovery, reconstruction, and rebuilding of countries that have suffered profound devastation due to civil wars, the Presidency's Head of Communications Duran said, ''The stabilisation of Syria and the strengthening of its institutional capacity are central to these efforts. We believe a similar approach should be implemented for Yemen and Sudan once hostilities end.''
Presidency's Head of Communications Duran noted that particular importance is attached to institutionalisation to ensure these initiatives yield lasting and effective outcomes and that these efforts are being advanced through various initiatives and multilateral platforms, adding, ''Additionally, we are contributing to the establishment of diverse cooperation mechanisms to address the new wave of risks and insecurity emerging in our region.
Head of Communications said, "Through all these efforts, we aim to build our own knowledge and diplomacy ecosystem. We want this ecosystem to reflect the realities of our region, foster collective wisdom, and contribute to the emergence of a more balanced global order.''
Presidency's Head of Communications Duran emphasised that they would continue to work with determination in bilateral and multilateral engagements and in comparable international forums to develop a shared language for peace and stability.
''Our region must reclaim authorship of its own story''
Presidency's Head of Communications Duran noted that the region has long been narrated by others through ''crisis, fear, and Orientalism,'' adding, ''This era must now end. Narrative is power. Whoever defines meaning shapes order. Our region must reclaim authorship of its own story—not to mythologise itself, but to articulate, with clarity and confidence, its civilisational mission in this moment of global rupture.''
Presidency's Head of Communications Duran pointed out that Türkiye’s call, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, that ''a fairer world is possible'' resonates deeply, adding, ''It is not merely a declaration of hope. It is a strategic horizon—a conviction that justice must be consciously constructed.''
Emphasising that the world has changed, the Presidency's Head of Communications Duran stated, ''The responsibility before us is to ensure that it changes in the right direction. This requires cooperation across borders, resistance to algorithmic domination, defence of truth, restoration of justice, and the courage to imagine a new global order grounded in dignity and legitimacy.''
Presidency's Head of Communications Duran said, ''This is how truth becomes justice. This is how justice becomes order. And this is how a region once spoken about becomes a region that speaks for itself.''
Thanking those who contributed to the forum and all participants, the Presidency's Head of Communications Duran said, ''I hope that our deliberations today will not only enrich our understanding, but also inspire collective action toward a more just, peaceful, and humane international order.''
Furthermore, Head of Communications Duran posted a message on his NSosyal account regarding the panel.
In his post, Head of Communications Duran noted:
"I was honoured to deliver a keynote address at the 17th Al Jazeera Forum in Doha, Qatar, at a moment when our region and the world are no longer merely in transition, but living through the consequences of a historic rupture.
Today, wars are not confined to physical battlefields. They are fought through narratives, perception management, and algorithmic control. Information has become a strategic asset, and disinformation an instrument of power. Algorithmic control now determines what is visible, what is credible, and what disappears. And when truth is muted, legitimacy erodes.
Gaza must be understood not only as a humanitarian catastrophe, but as a defining signal of global transformation. Collective punishment has unfolded before the eyes of a paralyzed international system, while institutions designed to prevent such tragedies have failed publicly and structurally. In a world where crises spread across regions and wars generate systemic shocks, Gaza reveals how conflicts are waged, how civilians are abandoned, and how political outcomes are pursued.
This is precisely why we must return to fundamental principles: justice as the basis of legitimacy, and truth as the condition that makes justice possible.
At the Forum, I underlined that justice must serve as the organising principle of any sustainable order. Only where justice exists, order is internalised rather than imposed. In an era of hybrid warfare and institutional fatigue, this principle is more urgent than ever.
As emphasised at the Forum, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Türkiye’s vision is anchored in the principle of regional ownership, grounded in the conviction that regional problems demand regional solutions through dialogue, cooperation, and shared responsibility. Our region has the capacity not only to mitigate global instability, but also to reclaim narrative power and contribute to a more just and humane international order.
I extend my sincere thanks to the organisers and all participants of the Al Jazeera Forum for providing such a vital platform for principled dialogue, and I wish the Forum every success."