President Erdoğan is set to deliver his 14th speech at the U.N. General Assembly next week in New York. His focus will be on the plight of Palestinians in Gaza, alongside his persistent calls for reform within the international body.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan speaking at the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly at the U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., on Sept. 24, 2019. (AP Photo)
The 79th special session of the U.N. General Assembly is slated to gather global leaders in New York next week. This illustrious stage, where heads of state—from the mighty to the minuscule—address the world, will witness Erdoğan’s 14th appearance. This streak is an uncommon feat for any leader of the Republic of Türkiye. Having successfully clinched elections for over two decades, Erdoğan has spoken at the September session four times as prime minister and nine times as president.
Set for next Tuesday, Erdoğan’s speech will spotlight Israel’s assaults on Gaza, an issue that holds significant global attention. The president, who first graced the assembly’s September session in 2005, is also poised to renew his impassioned plea for U.N. reforms. In many of his addresses, Erdoğan has echoed the sentiment of “the world is bigger than five,” highlighting the disproportionate influence of the U.N. Security Council’s five permanent members. “A reformed United Nations, more democratic and transparent, capable of representing the collective will of all member states, is the cornerstone of global peace and conflict resolution,” Erdoğan remarked in his inaugural speech back on Sept. 15, 2005.
Under Erdoğan’s stewardship, Türkiye has bolstered its stature on the global stage. Erdoğan aims to leverage this enhanced influence to further his mission of resolving international conflicts peacefully. Revered among nations marginalized or exploited by powerful countries, especially within the Islamic world, Asia, and Africa, Erdoğan has persistently championed the right of these nations to have their voices heard.
In his virtual address to the 75th U.N. General Assembly amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Erdoğan reiterated his appeal for global institutional reform. “Multilateral organizations, particularly the U.N., require overhaul. The current crisis has underscored the inefficacy of existing global mechanisms. For weeks, if not months, the Security Council failed to address the pandemic. This glaring inactivity proved the validity of the premise ‘The world is bigger than five’ I’ve advocated from this very rostrum for years. We cannot leave humanity’s fate to a handful of nations. To avert the erosion of credibility in international organizations, we must rethink our institutions, rules, and mindset,” Erdoğan asserted.
Palestinian cause
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict takes center stage at this year’s assembly, and Erdoğan, an ardent supporter of the Palestinian cause, will likely underscore the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and the potential regional fallout, including implications for Türkiye.
In 2023, as the conflict reignited, Türkiye severed budding ties with Israel after nearly a decade of tension. Amid a rising death toll in Gaza due to Israeli strikes, Erdoğan intensified his condemnation of Netanyahu’s administration, and Ankara halted commercial relations with Israel. Türkiye also aligned with other nations at international tribunals to hold Israel accountable for what it terms genocide and war crimes. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also expected to attend the same session.
A significant majority of General Assembly member states criticize Israel and express solidarity with the Palestinians. In May, a resolution passed overwhelmingly, affording the observer state of Palestine considerably expanded participation rights in meetings, although without voting rights.
However, the international community, notably Western nations, is often accused of unconditional support for Israel. Erdoğan frequently voices such concerns and pointedly critiques European nations and the United States, a key NATO ally of Ankara, for bolstering Tel Aviv and exacerbating the conflict.
