President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan replied to United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' post about Africa on his social media account.
President Erdoğan said in his post, "Mr. Secretary-General, your sincere and vocal articulation of your views on reforming the United Nations Security Council under present-day conditions and in a fair manner is invaluable for the world to have a fair system once again."
Stating that the African continent and all Africans must be given the opportunity to contribute to a fair system to be established, President Erdoğan said:
"The structure of the UN Security Council, which is far from fulfilling its mandate to ensure global peace and security, needs to be radically changed before more wars surround us, more people and societies suffer, and more innocent blood is shed.
This is what humanity expects from us. Responding to these expectations, we will continue to say, 'The world is bigger than 5' and act with the understanding that 'A fairer world is possible.' As Türkiye, we are committed to supporting all our friends who sincerely seek a fair international system and a UN Security Council that is in line with the demands of the present day."
Guterres' statement
Speaking at the UNSC session, Guterres made statements about Africa's representation in the Council, emphasising the urgent need for reform to ensure Africa's representation.
Guterres stated that "the Security Council was designed by the victors of the Second World War and reflects the power structures at that time," indicating that the world had changed significantly since 1945 but the composition of the Council had "not kept pace."
Noting that in 1945, most of today's African countries were still under colonial rule and had no voice in international affairs, Guterres said, "We cannot accept that the world's preeminent peace and security body lacks a permanent voice for a continent of well over a billion people."
Guterres also shared his statement on social media.