Speaking at a press conference following the G20 Rome Summit, President Erdoğan said: “We are one of the top donors of humanitarian and development aid globally in proportion to national income. It is our main responsibility as the G20 countries to spearhead the efforts aimed at achieving by 2030 a world with no famine.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a press conference following the G20 Rome Summit.
Congratulating Italy for the successful term presidency it executed despite the pandemic, President Erdoğan thanked Rome for its kind hospitality towards the Turkish delegation.
“OUR ECONOMIES CONTINUE TO FACE MAJOR CHALLENGES DESPITE THE RECOVERY IN GLOBAL ECONOMY”
Noting that policies that would eliminate troubles and boost economies’ resilience were discussed during the summit at a time when the adverse effects of the pandemic are still felt, President Erdoğan said: “Our economies continue to face major challenges despite the recovery in global economy in 2021. The rise particularly in commodity prices and indebtedness has reached historic levels. Global inflation pressure deeply shape all economies no matter how developed they are. This inflation pressure will continue for a while according to reports by international organizations. Adverse implications of supply chain fractures are already visible in the form of empty shelves and long queues for fuel.”
Pointing out that Turkey, which grew by 1.8 percent in 2020 and is about to achieve around 9 percent growth by the end of 2021, is closely following all the developments in global economy, President Erdoğan stated that Turkey, which has been supporting all segments of the society with various incentive packages since the onset of the pandemic, has minimized global fluctuations’ effects on its own citizens.
Turkey implements various projects in light of the newly-emerging necessities, the President added. “We have a continuously rising momentum in investments, production, exportation and employment. We make efforts to contribute to the prevention of global instability caused by changing equilibriums in production and logistics as well as to strengthen our own economy. Accordingly, the importance of the smooth functioning of supply chains in international trade was particularly emphasized during the summit talks.”
Turkey, on the occasion of the summit, reiterated its support for the rules-based and nondiscriminatory multilateral trading system centered on the World Trade Organization, said the President. “We are of the opinion that organizations which control the global financial system shouldn’t be a tool of political manipulations that lack any reasonable economic justification whatsoever. Otherwise, let me note that countries such as ours with a strong potential for economic growth will have bigger doubts regarding the functioning and intentions of international organizations.”
“IT IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR VACCINE NATIONALISM TO BE MAINTAINED THROUGH VARIOUS METHODS”
Stressing that what transpired during the pandemic should be a lesson to all to the effect that a more careful, more equitable and more principled approach should be adopted, President Erdoğan said: “What we have witnessed over the past few years has further demonstrated the importance of access to basic healthcare for the entire humanity. Access to tools, equipment, vaccines and treatment for the prevention of pandemics is not a privilege but a fundamental right. None of us can feel secure until we all feel secure. In this spirit, we as Turkey have provided medical supplies and critical equipment to the 160 countries and 12 international organizations requesting so.
President Erdoğan continued his remarks as follows: “We have ensured that everyone, with no exception and without any distinction between our citizens and the refugees we have been hosting in Turkey as our guests, has access to healthcare and basic needs. The human-centered policies which we have upheld and put into practice during the pandemic, we are now, yet again, implementing them as regards fair access to vaccination. While hundreds of millions of people have no access to even the first dose of vaccine on one side, hundreds of millions of dollars are being spent for space journeys on the other side. It is impossible for this unjust order, in which there is poverty on one side and an abundance of luxury and ostentation on the other side, to continue any longer.”
President Erdoğan added: “It is unacceptable for vaccine nationalism to be maintained through various methods and for vaccines recognized by the WHO to be discriminated against particularly in the international arena.”
“THERE WILL BE LEFT NO ATMOSPHERE TO BREATHE IN SHOULD THE WORLD CONTINUE TO BE CONSUMED SELFISHLY”
Warning that should the world continue to be consumed selfishly, there won’t be any atmosphere left to breathe in, even one drop of water to drink and one inch of soil to cultivate, President Erdoğan stated that recent natural disasters laid bare the adverse effects of climate change on nature.
Climate change is a major threat to human life, financial growth and sustainable development, underscored the President, adding that during all the talks held as part of the summit, Turkey stressed the need for urgent and feasible solutions in the fight against climate change.
Pointing out that Turkey, which ratified the Paris Climate Agreement and is at quite a good level as regards the issue, will assume a leading role in the fight against climate change with its goal of Green Development Revolution.
President Erdoğan went onto say that Turkey shared its intention statement for net zero emission by 2053 with G20 leaders and that it will contribute to the international community with the action plan it will prepare.
“WE HAVE CARRIED OUT WORKS TOUCHING PEOPLE’S LIVES”
Stating that the coronavirus pandemic has both laid bare the crookedness in the current order and has once again reminded that the entire humanity is on the same ship, President Erdoğan noted that food security was among Turkey’s priorities during its G20 term presidency in 2015. “We have always been sensitive about this issue while providing development assistance all across the world, particularly in Africa, for long years. With projects aimed at teaching how to fish rather than giving a fish, we have carried out works touching people’s lives in many places. “We are one of the top donors of humanitarian and development aid globally in proportion to national income. It is our main responsibility as the G20 countries to spearhead the efforts aimed at achieving by 2030 a world with no famine.”
Underlining that migration and its management is another issue that directly affects sustainable development, President Erdoğan said: “Currently, we are home to nearly 5 million displaced people, 3.6 million of them fleeing the war in Syria. We are one of the top countries to feel the burden of migration originating from Afghanistan. We know very well both the humanitarian security aspect of the migration crisis and what it means to be abandoned in handling migration.”
Turkey stressed during the G20 Extraordinary Leaders’ Meeting on Afghanistan held on October 12 that the migration issue should definitely be on the G20’s agenda, noted President Erdoğan. “In this regard, we had proposed the foundation of a working group under the G20. As Turkey, we are willing to assume the chairmanship of this group. Reiterating our proposal both during our bilateral talks and during today’s session, we invited our counterparts to lend support to us.”
RELATIONS WITH THE U.S.
Answering a question if Afghanistan was on agenda of his two meetings with U.S. President Biden in the past five months, President Erdoğan said that they discussed Afghanistan and the issue of Karzai Airport during their meetings, and added: “However, there were such developments that we had to withdraw our forces from Afghanistan.”
Further stressing that the Taliban’s stance would be a determining factor as to what the future developments would be, President Erdoğan said: “The Taliban currently holds talk both with us and our embassy in Afghanistan. Time will tell what steps we will take during these talks; whether the new structure in Afghanistan will be an inclusive one; what kind of an education approach they will display regarding women; and whether our sociological approach will be consistent with that of the Taliban’s.”
Reminded of the common will and the joint mechanism noted in the statement made after his meeting with U.S. President Biden, President Erdoğan said that all relevant ministries, including Ministry of Treasury and Finance and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, should come together more frequently to discuss the bilateral relations.
Asked about the issue of F-16s, President Erdoğan, drawing attention to the $1.4 billion payment Turkey had made for the F-35s, stated that they discussed how they could make progress about that issue, and continued as follows: “F-16s were high on the agenda of our meeting, be it the modernization of the ones we already have or the procurement of new ones. Our defense ministers are following the process.”
Responding to a question about the agenda of his meeting with President Macron of France, President Erdoğan said that he discussed the developments in Afghanistan, Libya and Syria with his French counterpart.
“WE DON’T HAVE ANY HIDDEN AGENDAS”
Stating that the issue of arms sales to Greece was also on the agenda, President Erdoğan said: “We shared with them our concerns about this issue as well. We laid bare all these issues. That is so because we do not have any hidden agendas. We believe that it is for the best interest of everyone to openly talk about everything. Also, we discussed the developments in the Caucasus.”
Answering a question about Turkey’s efforts to establish peace in the region encompassing Armenia and if the southern Caucasus was also on the agenda of his meeting with U.S. President Biden, President Erdoğan stressed that Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iran, Armenia and Georgia could take joint steps and establish peace in the region, and added: “Mr. Ilham Aliyev has already made his proposal to Armenia about regional peace. Obviously, Georgia has a negative approach, but if there is a positive atmosphere in all the six countries, such a platform can be formed. And once that platform is formed, the region will quickly turn into a land of peace.”
Asked about the works the European Union had been carrying out to build up its own military force, President Erdoğan said it was not a project that could be realized, and that most of the EU member countries, which he noted were also NATO members, did not lean towards that idea.
Responding to a question if he expected a new migration wave from Afghanistan, President Erdoğan noted that although Turkey did not expect such a wave from Afghanistan, it took necessary precautions and had no intention of opening its gates to such a migration burden.
RELATIONS WITH ITALY
Asked about the future of Turkey’s relations with Italy following his meeting with Prime Minister Draghi of Italy, President Erdoğan said positive steps would be taken by France, Italy and Turkey on the SAMP/T air defense systems, and that as a result of those steps the current trade volume would reach some $30 billion.
Responding to a question if U.S. President Biden would make any attempt to reduce tension in the Eastern Mediterranean, President Erdoğan noted that the Eastern Mediterranean was not on the agenda of his meeting with the U.S. President.
