“We will provide every kind of contribution in order for the African continent to take its rightful place in the global system”

 

Addressing the Closing Ceremony of the 4th Türkiye-Africa Business and Economic Forum, President Erdoğan said: “Rest assured that we will continue to provide every kind of contribution in order for the African continent to take its rightful place in the global system.”

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made a speech at the Closing Ceremony of the 4th Türkiye-Africa Business and Economic Forum at Istanbul Congress Center.

“WE VIEW AFRICA’S SUCCESS AS OUR OWN SUCCESS” 

Stressing that Türkiye views Africa’s success as its own success, President Erdoğan said: “We fully supported the African Union’s G20 membership since the very beginning. Accordingly, we welcomed the African Union’s admission as a member during the recent G20 Summit in New Delhi. I congratulate the President of the Comoros, my treasured brother Azali Assoumani on this significant membership, which materialized during his term presidency. Rest assured that we will continue to provide every kind of contribution in order for the African continent to take its rightful place in the global system.”

“THE BLOCKADE RENDERS THE REGION SUSCEPTIBLE TO PROVOCATIONS”

Commenting on the Israel-Palestine conflict, President Erdoğan stated: “While we were already experiencing the negative impacts of the Russia-Ukraine war, the incidents unfolding between Israel and Palestine have deeply shaken us all. We are worried about the possibility of the tension to further aggravate and spread to the region. We say it openly that we never have and never will approve of such attacks as the bombing of mosques, hospitals and civilian settlements. It is evident that the blockade, which deteriorates the humanitarian situation in Gaza, renders the region open and susceptible to provocations. Cutting off the electricity, water, fuel and food of 2 million people squeezed into 360 square kilometers amounts to a violation of the most basic human rights.”

“WE WILL DELIVER OUR HUMANITARIAN AID TO GAZA IN CLOSE COOPERATION WITH EGYPTIAN AUTHORITIES” 

President Erdoğan went onto say: “Punishing the people of Gaza collectively will only exacerbate the problem, leading to more suffering, more tensions, and more tears. The Israeli administration should allow the passage of humanitarian aid via the Rafah border crossing. This morning, we sent a humanitarian aid plane, loaded with medications, stable foods, canned foods, diapers and medical supplies, to El-Arish Airport. Our plane, carrying the first-ever aid cargo to the region since the onset of the conflicts, landed at the airport as of 12 noon today. Our AFAD Presidency is making preparations for the shipment of further aid supplies to the region. We will inshallah deliver our humanitarian aid to Gaza in close cooperation with the brotherly Egyptian authorities.” 

“WE ARE DETERMINED TO ELIMINATE THE TERROR THREAT AGAINST OUR COUNTRY AT ITS SOURCE”

Underscoring that the U.S. deployment of aircraft carriers to the region doesn’t contribute at all to peace, calm, dialogue and diplomacy or to reducing the tension between the sides, President Erdoğan stated: “Actually, the approach reflected by the statement the U.S. President made yesterday on Syria is the same stance we voice regarding their activities in the region. That is to say, the activities the U.S. carries out in Syria in collaboration with the extensions of the PKK pose an extraordinary threat to Türkiye’s national security.”  

“Are we not together with the U.S. at NATO? Yes, we are. Yet, has the U.S. downed our UAV? Yes, it has. Then, how come we are together with you at NATO! How can you do something like this? We have a security problem between us,” the President further stressed.

Underlining that the U.S. President’s statement is not only incompatible with the spirit of alliance and strategic partnership, but it also emboldens the terrorist organizations seeking to divide Syria, President Erdoğan added: “We are determined to eliminate the terror threat against our country at its source, regardless of who stands behind the terrorist organization. As the only NATO ally that engaged in close combat with DAESH and defeated this terrorist organization at the cost of giving martyrs, it is just with a bitter smile that we watch this play enacted against us. We will leave the actors of this play alone with their own scenarios and continue to take the steps required by our own national security.”