The President of the Republic of Türkiye, Tayyip Erdoğan, has said his country remains committed to supporting a lasting truce and contributing to the reconstruction of Gaza, while hailed South Africa for standing firmly with Palestinians.
Erdogan made the applause while addressing the media after successful conclusion of the G20 Leaders’ Summit, held at the Nasrec Expo Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa.
According to him, “South Africa’s unwavering support for the Palestinian cause is valuable; they demonstrated an exemplary stance against the Gaza genocide.
“As the whole world was watching crimes against humanity in Gaza, our friends in South Africa did not turn their backs.
“On behalf of my country and nation, I salute South Africa for its brave stand through the case they filed at the International Court of Justice (ICJ),” President Erdoğan said on Sunday.
“It is crucial to implement a two-State formula for a lasting solution. Global peace cannot be fully ensured, unless a free Palestinian State is established based on the 1967 borders, with East al-Quds as its capital”, he added.
The President emphasised that mitigating the consequences of destruction in Gaza is a global responsibility, while called for humanitarian aid and reconstruction support.
He said, “We will maintain our principled stance on this issue for the peace, security, and well-being of the oppressed Palestinian people, our entire region, and humanity.”
The President stated that his country is determined to support the Palestinian people, as it always has.
Since October 2023, Türkiye has provided 100 000 tons of humanitarian aid to Gaza, including food, medical supplies and shelter, demonstrating steadfast solidarity with the Palestinian people amid Israel’s ongoing attacks.
During the two-day summit, the President Erdoğan presented his country’s perspectives on combating climate change, pursuing green transformation, achieving sustainable development, and addressing influence of technological advancements on development policies.
“We held bilateral meetings with other participating leaders and consulted on important issues.” Between yesterday and today, Erdoğan and government officials met with many leaders, including the Heads of State and Government of Australia, Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Canada, Angola, Ethiopia, France, Brazil, Malaysia, Italy and Singapore.
They also had meetings with the United Nations Secretary-General, the President of the European Commission, and representatives of some international organisations.
“At this year’s summit as well, we once again emphasised that the motto, ‘Leave no one behind’, should serve as the compass for the international community.“We expressed the need to build a more inclusive and resilient global economy in which no one is left behind,” President Erdoğan said.
During the summit, the leaders of MIKTA, a diverse and cross-regional group of democracies consisting of Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey and Australia, gathered and issued a joint press statement.
“We will further strengthen our cooperation with MIKTA countries – all of which are also G20 members – in the period ahead,” President Erdoğan said.
He expressed gratitude to South Africa for its hospitality and said he was particularly pleased that the G20 Summit was held in Africa for the first time.
Source: SAnews.gov.za
