Presidency’s Director of Communications Fahrettin Altun expressed that global problems require global solutions and said, “Türkiye is taking steps to respond to challenges in the international system. Under the leadership of our President, we have revised our foreign policy strategy to respond not only to our immediate security concerns but also to regional and global problems.”
Presidency's Director of Communications Fahrettin Altun addressed the participants via video message at the TRT World Forum, which has been held for the 5th time this year with the theme "Power and Paradox: Understanding Grand Strategy in the 21st Century".
Fahrettin Altun said in his speech that the COVID-19 crisis hit the world at the worst possible time since the end of the Cold War, and that in 2020, many international conflicts were left unresolved in different parts of the world.
Stating that this process made it very difficult for states to focus on forming long-term strategies and dealing global threats, Altun said, “The lack of a reform process left international institutions weak and unprepared to handle major global crises. Not only the United Nations, but also more specialised institutions including the World Health Organisation, proved to be unable to resolve a global crisis".
Pointing out that the idea of international cooperation was at its lowest point when the pandemic struck, Altun said, “Every country preferred to act unilaterally, followed protectionism when it came to medical equipment and failed to develop a framework to respond collectively to the crisis. Furthermore, the COVID-19 crisis also demonstrated that the existing inequalities in the world are a major threat not only to less developed nations but all across the world. It was understood that without a fair distribution of resources and equipment, no one should expect to end the existing pandemic".
“A new approach is needed in the face of global crises”
Altun emphasised that the emergence of global crises in the last twenty years, from terrorism to humanitarian issues, from climate change to COVID-19, showed that all nations needed a new approach in designing their grand strategies.
Indicating that every nation may have different near term and long term objectives in their foreign policies; however, the previous two decades demonstrated that nations should pay attention to regional and global crises more diligently while formulating their grand strategies, Altun pointed out that in addition to security risks, long-lasting conflicts could lead to humanitarian challenges and economic and social problems.
Furthermore, noting that international organisations require urgent reform to deal with global issues from humanitarian disasters to global climate change in a more efficient manner, Altun underlined that every country’s grand strategy necessitates a clause to help with reform and make these institutions more effective.
Emphasising that states must recognise that global problems require global solutions, Altun said that without finding a global solution to these problems, it is impossible to attain the goal of stability and security.
“Türkiye is responding to regional and global problems”
Stating that Türkiye followed existing challenges in the international system and took steps to respond to these challenges, Altun noted the following:
“Under the leadership of our President, we have revised our foreign policy strategy to respond not only to our immediate security concerns but also to regional and global problems. We made the resolution of conflicts in our immediate neighborhood an important priority for our foreign policy. Turkish foreign policy makers have been involved in different initiatives to resolve the conflicts in Syria, Libya and Iraq. We have also invited affected parties to engage in dialogue and constructive diplomacy in other crisis areas including the Eastern Mediterranean and the Azerbaijan-Armenia dispute. President Erdogan called on nations to form international conferences to negotiate and settle the disputes in these areas.”
Fahrettin Altun highlighted that Türkiye understands the importance of the reform process for international institutions, and that under its current structure, international institutions fail to provide solutions to global problems.
Indicating that the UN Security Council reform is long desired, however has yet to be attained, Altun added, “In the last few years, we have seen that the failure of this council to take decisive action has led to significant regional problems. We support a reform process for the organization and think it would serve both for the interests of Türkiye and other nations across the world”.
Altun expressed that from the very beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, Türkiye supported the idea that global problems necessitated global solutions, and emphasised that international solidarity and cooperation were the key to resolve these problems.
Expressing that "Türkiye took every step during the crisis to cooperate with and support other countries in this pandemic and it will continue to do so," Altun stated that without effective burden sharing and cooperation, this crisis would only prolong.
"Türkiye is playing its role in terms of constructive diplomacy"
Stating that in the age of a global pandemic and great power competition, it is important for nations to rethink their foreign policies and grand strategies, Altun continued as follows:
“Priorities and objectives need to pay attention to what has been taking place in the world in the last two decades. Our foreign policies need to have visions to handle global problems. The competition among nations may allure countries to maintain the status quo. However, in those two decades, we have seen the failure of that approach. Although there is a period of super power competition upon us, other nations should act more responsibly and allocate a place in their strategies to establish an international form of coordination to respond to the global crises.”
Instead of waiting for superpowers to play the leadership in times of crisis, Altun expressed that other nations should join forces to attain those goals.
Pointing out that states must face the reality that in this interconnected world, destabilization and crisis in one area will eventually spread, Altun said, “Constructive and innovative diplomacy and international engagement will be key in the process of containing these challenges. Türkiye is playing its role and is ready to work together with other nations. It aims to lead by example on how to achieve cooperation and dialogue among nations among different crises and challenges. We very much welcome competition in this arena.”
Altun expressed his hope that the conversations and debates at the TRT World Forum would help the achievement of these goals.
