President Erdogan set to spotlight Gaza humanitarian crisis during UN address

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is poised to deliver a significant address at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, where he will spotlight pressing issues concerning the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and Israel’s military actions.

Before his departure for New York on Saturday, Erdogan outlined his agenda, stating his commitment to articulating Türkiye’s views on critical regional matters. He emphasized the importance of collaborative international efforts to combat the Gaza genocide and condemned Israel’s “aggressive policies.”

“I will specifically touch on the joint steps that can be taken against these actions,” Erdogan remarked to reporters.

In addition to discussing the Gaza conflict, Erdogan aims to advocate for reforms in the United Nations, specifically targeting the Security Council, emphasizing that its current structure does not adequately represent the global community. He frequently cites his slogan, “The world is bigger than five,” to underscore this point.

President Erdogan to hold high profile meetings at UN

A series of high-profile meetings will accompany Erdogan’s participation at the U.N. On Monday, he held a closed-door discussion with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, where they addressed bilateral relations and the situation in Palestine, alongside discussions about Türkiye’s European Union membership aspirations.

Erdogan also engaged in his first meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian since the latter’s election, following the tragic death of his predecessor in May. In a separate meeting, he welcomed Kuwait’s new crown prince, Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al Sabah, focusing on bilateral cooperation and regional stability.

During a session with International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan, Erdogan denounced Israel’s actions, asserting that the country is “recklessly making plans to add new massacres to their list.” He provided Khan with “The Evidence and the Witness”, a publication produced by Anadolu that documents alleged Israeli war crimes.

Meeting with business leaders

Additionally, Erdogan participated in the 15th Türkiye Investment Conference, where he met with business leaders from both Türkiye and the United States. He also held discussions with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, along with a roundtable with representatives from American think tanks.