Developments on 23–24 September 2025
United Nations General Assembly
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan traveled from Türkevi to the United Nations Headquarters on 23 September 2025 to attend the opening session of the United Nations General Assembly. The transition was carried out on foot alongside his delegation.
Before his address at the General Assembly, a protocol arrangement was implemented to ensure leaders entered the hall in sequence. Erdoğan’s speaking order was determined in accordance with the opening agenda of the General Assembly. Participants included heads of state and government as well as representatives of international organizations.
The General Assembly agenda highlighted themes of peace, development, human rights and global justice under the overarching topic “80 Years and Beyond: Together for a Better Peace, Development and Human Rights.” It was previously announced that Erdoğan’s speech would specifically address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the Palestinian issue, structural problems within the United Nations and the preservation of international peace.
President Erdoğan’s Address at the United Nations General Assembly
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered his address from the General Assembly podium on 23 September 2025 as the fourth speaker during the high-level meetings of the 80th United Nations General Assembly. He began his speech by expressing his hope that the General Assembly would serve as a source of good for humanity, congratulated the new president of the session Annalena Baerbock and praised his predecessor Philemon Yang for his service.
President Erdoğan opened his speech by saying: “At the very outset of my remarks, I wish to express my sorrow that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is not present among us today, at a time when an increasing number of countries are recognizing the State of Palestine. We are here on this podium to speak on behalf of the Palestinian people whose voice is being silenced alongside our own citizens. I thank all countries that have declared their recognition of the State of Palestine and call on those that have not yet taken this decision to act without delay.”
Recalling that the United Nations Charter was signed in San Francisco 80 years ago and entered into force on 24 October 1945, Erdoğan emphasized his desire to reiterate the first words of the Charter’s first article: “The purpose of the United Nations is to maintain international peace and security.” He continued: “Yes, as we celebrate the 80th anniversary of the United Nations in this hall, grave events are unfolding across many regions of the world that cast a shadow over those very first words of the Charter. In Gaza, in plain view of our eyes, a genocide has been ongoing for more than 700 days.”
While we are in session, civilians in Gaza are being killed. The number of civilian deaths in Gaza has exceeded 65,000. The number of bodies still buried under rubble remains unknown. More than 20,000 of the dead are children. For the past 23 months, Israel has brutally severed a child from life every hour in Gaza. These are not numbers, friends; each is a life, an innocent human being. People are being killed not only with weapons but also with hunger. In the 21st century, under the gaze of the civilized world, 428 people have died of starvation, 146 of them children, and the number grows every day.
President Erdoğan then showed a photograph depicting daily life in Gaza, saying: “Women carrying basins in their hands. Let us all place our hands on our consciences and answer: in the year 2025, can there be any reasonable justification for such cruelty? Yet, this shameful spectacle repeats itself every day in Gaza for 23 months. Two and a half million Gazans living within an area of 365 square kilometers are displaced daily and forced to flee to another region.”
Erdoğan stated that Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure has completely collapsed, with doctors killed or detained, ambulances targeted, and hospitals bombed and destroyed, making medical treatment, surgery and access to medicine impossible. He added: “Look, as Tayyip Erdoğan, I speak with a burning heart and tears of blood: unfortunately, innocent children as young as two or three years old, without hands, arms or legs, have become the ordinary image of Gaza.”
Showing a photograph of a child on the brink of death from starvation, Erdoğan asked: “What conscience can endure this? What conscience can remain silent in the face of this? Can there be peace in a world where children die of hunger and lack of medicine?” He reminded everyone that they are all parents, with children and grandchildren they cherish, and continued: “Here in America, in Europe, everywhere in the world, when a child’s hand is pricked by a thorn, parents’ hearts ache. But in Gaza, children’s hands, arms and legs are amputated without anesthesia. No offense intended, but this is the bottom of humanity. Humanity has never witnessed such brutality in the last century. Everything is unfolding before our eyes. The genocide in Gaza is broadcast live every moment through media and social media.”
Israel has deliberately killed 250 journalists working for national and international media in Gaza and has banned all access to the territory. Yet it has failed to conceal the genocide. I wholeheartedly support Secretary-General António Guterres for consistently drawing attention to the ongoing genocide in Palestinian territories and commend him once again for his courage. However, the United Nations has unfortunately been unable to protect even its own staff in Gaza. Five hundred people who rushed to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza have been killed, 326 of whom were UN personnel.
President Erdoğan described genocide as a shameful, inhumane and barbaric concept, identical to the Holocaust, used for the mass extermination of people. He emphasized that in Gaza, it is not only humans who are being killed, but also animals, farmland, gardens, trees, grasses and centuries-old olive trees, water sources are destroyed and polluted. Buildings, homes, libraries, hospitals, schools, mosques, churches and historical structures are deliberately demolished. The soil of Gaza has been rendered unusable for humans, animals and plants alike. He then showed another photograph and asked: “What connection does this image have with security? Is this not hostility toward life itself? I state clearly from this podium: there is no war in Gaza. There are not two sides in Gaza. On one side is a regular army armed with the most modern and lethal weapons; on the other side are innocent civilians and children. This is not a fight against terrorism. This is an occupation, displacement, expulsion and, more accurately, a policy of mass extermination justified by the events of 7 October.”
While Gaza is being destroyed under the pretext of Hamas, Erdoğan noted that the West Bank, where Hamas has no control, is also being gradually occupied and innocent civilians are being killed through executions. “Israel does not limit itself to Gaza and the West Bank; it conducts attacks against Syria, Iran, Yemen and Lebanon, threatening regional peace,” Erdoğan said, reminding the delegation that recently met in Qatar for ceasefire negotiations that Israel had carried out attacks during the talks.
President Erdoğan said: “The attack on Qatar demonstrates that the Israeli leadership has completely lost control. It is once again clear that Netanyahu has no intention of pursuing peace or rescuing hostages. Not only neighboring countries but all nations in the Middle East are facing Israel’s reckless threats. Let us also recognize that due to Israel’s escalating aggression, the values established in the West after World War II have suffered severe damage. Fundamental human rights—freedom of expression, press freedom, right to protest and demonstration, women’s rights, children’s rights, democracy, equality and justice—have been shelved. At this point, we all must acknowledge this reality: the Israeli regime, driven by an obsession with promised lands, is pursuing an expansionist policy that undermines regional peace and humanity’s shared achievements. Jerusalem, the holy city of the three Abrahamic faiths and humanity’s common heritage, is the direct target of this radicalism. This madness, which disturbs conscientious Jews and is not endorsed by them, and which moreover fuels antisemitism worldwide, can no longer continue. A ceasefire in Gaza must be achieved immediately, attacks must cease, and unhindered humanitarian access must be guaranteed. Those responsible for the genocide must be held accountable under international law. I sincerely believe this will surely happen.”
Erdoğan stated that everyone who remains silent and fails to speak out against the barbarism in Gaza is complicit in this atrocity, and added: “I appeal to all world leaders: today is the day to stand firmly alongside the oppressed Palestinians. While your people protest against the barbarism in Gaza, show your courage step by step. Fulfill your humanitarian duty toward Gaza, where children are raising children. On this occasion, I send my warmest greetings to all defenders of Palestine—academics, artists, politicians, activists and students—who have filled squares in different countries to support the Gazan victims and set sail across the seas to aid the innocent people of Gaza.”
Recalling that he has raised the issue of oppression and conflict in Syria at the UN podium for 13 years, Erdoğan said: “Just as we raise our voices today for the oppressed people of Gaza, we have for 13 years drawn attention to the cries of the Syrians. Here, we have been their voice and breath. The oppression that caused one million people to lose their lives and millions more to flee their homeland has, praise be to God, now become history with the 8 December revolution.”
Erdoğan stated that the Syrian people have opened the door to a new era as of 8 December 2024 and continued: “I believe the Syrian people, who have won their struggle against a blood-stained regime at great cost, will reach the intended destination of their victory. We will support with all our means the vision of a united and secure Syria, free from all forms of terrorism, including ISIS. As stability takes root in Syria, undoubtedly the winners will be the Syrian people and all neighboring countries in our region. I extend my thanks to our Gulf brothers for their contributions to Syria’s recovery. We hope to continue our cooperation with all regional and international actors who share our principles.”
We wish for the nuclear issue with our neighbor Iran to be resolved through diplomacy as soon as possible. It must not be forgotten that our region cannot withstand another crisis. The stability, security and prosperity of our neighbor Iraq are of exceptional importance for the peace of our region. We attach great significance to strategic initiatives such as the Development Path Project that prioritize collective prosperity. We host with great enthusiasm the Istanbul Process between our neighbors Russia and Ukraine. Through direct talks, we have facilitated the exchange of numerous prisoners and remains. We have worked to define modalities for peace negotiations between the parties. Do not forget: “The winner of war is never the loser of a just peace.” We will continue our efforts toward a ceasefire in the coming period with this slogan.
Erdoğan said he has consistently encouraged Azerbaijan and Armenia toward peace and added: “We welcome the steps taken on 8 August toward a lasting peace between the two countries. I once again commend U.S. President Donald Trump, along with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, for their contributions to this process.”
President Erdoğan also noted that the Turkey-Armenia normalization process is progressing on its own path and said: “Under our other mediation initiative, the Ankara Process, we continue our efforts to resolve the dispute between Somalia and Ethiopia. We hope the parties will swiftly and successfully conclude this initiative.”
President Erdoğan emphasized that Türkiye has faithfully applied the Montreux Convention, the guarantor of security in the Black Sea, with neutrality for 89 years, and added: “We wish to see the Aegean Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean as zones of stability and prosperity, respecting the legitimate interests of all parties. We are ready for constructive cooperation in all areas, especially energy and the environment. We expect the same from our neighbors. I wish to emphasize here that projects excluding Türkiye and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean cannot succeed. On the island of Cyprus, Türkiye’s rights and authority lie on its western side, while the legitimate rights of Turkish Cypriots lie in the surrounding waters. The Eastern Mediterranean Conference, previously proposed by us, will contribute to establishing a common ground. The Cyprus issue cannot be resolved on the basis of the exhausted federal model, repeatedly tested but blocked by the intransigence of the Greek Cypriot side. There are two separate states and two distinct peoples on the island of Cyprus. Turkish Cypriots are equal owners of the island and will not accept being treated as a minority. The international community must end the unjust isolation Turkish Cypriots have endured for half a century. I repeat today what I have called for in the last three United Nations General Assemblies: I invite the international community to recognize the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and to establish diplomatic, political and economic relations with it.”
President Erdoğan stated that Türkiye seeks a new beginning and vision in its relations with the European Union, saying: “This vision must not be one that merely salvages the present but one that redefines the horizon and shapes our common future. For this, it is essential that the European Union shares our willingness and determination.”
Erdoğan reiterated that Türkiye will continue contributing to the operations and missions of the United Nations, NATO, OSCE and the European Union as a clear security provider. “We will host the NATO Summit in Ankara in 2026. Our NATO alliance strengthens our relations with the United States in many areas, including trade, investment, energy and defense industry.”
President Erdoğan emphasized that peace, stability and prosperity in Central Asian brother countries are indispensable to Türkiye and continued: “Our Organization of Turkic States is advancing beyond being merely a regional umbrella to become a global actor. We are making intense efforts to ensure peace and stability in the Balkans, where we have deep, human ties. Our most recent example of these efforts is the Balkan Peace Platform, established in July. We will once again assume the command of KFOR this October. Our fundamental aspiration is for the authorities in Afghanistan to adopt an approach that takes the entire society into account. The international community must not abandon the Afghan people during their recovery process. As Türkiye and the Turkish nation, we will continue standing alongside our Afghan brothers. We consider the preservation of peace and stability in South Asia extremely important. We welcome the ceasefire reached in April amid tensions between Pakistan and India. We value cooperation between the two countries in the fight against terrorism.”
We support a dialogue-based resolution of the Kashmir issue based on United Nations Security Council resolutions and the expectations of our Kashmiri brothers. Our relations with the African continent, spanning from education to healthcare and from infrastructure to trade, are strengthening year by year. While providing all necessary support to Somalia in its fight against terrorism, we continue our humanitarian aid activities. The conflict in Sudan, which has lasted for over two years, deeply distresses us. Ending the bloodshed in Sudan and establishing sustainable peace is the shared responsibility of the international community. Our efforts in this regard will continue.”
Special Meeting on Gaza
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended a special meeting on Gaza held on 24 September 2025 on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly. The meeting took place at the UN headquarters and was conducted behind closed doors.
Heads of state and government from Türkiye, the United States, Indonesia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Pakistan and Egypt attended the meeting. Erdoğan sat alongside U.S. President Donald Trump during the meeting.
At the opening of the meeting, U.S. President Trump stated that the war in Gaza must end, saying: “We want to end the war in Gaza, and we will end it. Perhaps we can end it now.” President Erdoğan, in his remarks, appealed to world leaders, saying: “I appeal to all world leaders: today is the day to stand firmly alongside the oppressed Palestinians.”
Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in his opening remarks, stressed the severity of the situation in Gaza and highlighted the importance of concrete steps leaders can take in response. He also thanked U.S. President Trump for organizing the meeting.
Following the meeting, U.S. President Trump gave a brief statement to the press, describing the discussions as “very successful” and noting that he had met with key regional actors on the Gaza issue. President Erdoğan, upon leaving the meeting, responded to journalists’ questions outside Türkevi, stating that a joint statement would be issued the same day and affirming that the meeting had been productive.
Bilateral Meetings
Meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the UN Headquarters. The meeting addressed regional and global developments, with Israel’s attacks on Gaza at the forefront. Erdoğan stated that the need for reform within the UN system has become more evident in recent years and that the current functioning of the Security Council has proven inadequate in safeguarding international peace. He affirmed Türkiye’s readiness to contribute fully to reform efforts in this direction. Erdoğan emphasized the importance of preserving international peace and noted that recent global crises have clearly demonstrated this urgent need.
Meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara
President Erdoğan held a meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara at Türkevi. The discussion focused on the future of bilateral relations between the two countries and regional developments. Erdoğan stated that Türkiye expects all sanctions against Syria to be lifted as soon as possible. He emphasized Türkiye’s positive stance toward initiatives grounded in Syria’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. Erdoğan also stressed that the terrorist organization SDG must comply with the 10 March Agreement and noted that Türkiye continues to closely monitor developments in the region and will sustain its support for Syria.
Meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron
President Erdoğan met with French President Emmanuel Macron at the UN Headquarters. The discussion covered Türkiye-France bilateral relations as well as regional and global issues. Erdoğan underscored the importance of dialogue with France and expressed his desire to enhance cooperation in numerous areas, especially trade, energy and defense industry. He stated that revitalizing relations with the European Union requires activating existing mechanisms. Erdoğan also noted Türkiye’s efforts toward a fair and lasting peace in the context of the Russia-Ukraine war and expressed the desire for the negotiations conducted in Istanbul to make results-oriented progress. The Palestinian issue was also discussed, with Erdoğan congratulating Macron on France’s decision to recognize Palestine and asserting that increased international pressure on the Israeli government is necessary for a two-state solution.
Meeting with Libyan Presidential Council Chairman Mohamed al-Menfi
President Erdoğan met with Libyan Presidential Council Chairman Mohamed al-Menfi on the margins of the UN General Assembly. The meeting assessed bilateral relations between Türkiye and Libya and regional developments. Erdoğan stated that Türkiye aims to ensure lasting stability, establish security and preserve Libya’s unity and pledged continued Turkish support toward these goals.
Meeting with Vietnamese State President Luong Cuong
President Erdoğan met with Vietnamese State President Luong Cuong in New York. The meeting placed emphasis on developments in Gaza and the Palestinian issue. Erdoğan stated that Türkiye is making intensive efforts to establish a just and lasting peace in Gaza. He noted that Vietnam’s stance on Palestine has been closely observed and welcomed its alignment with the right side of history.
Meeting with TÜSİAD Chairman Hamdi Ulukaya and Corporate Executives
On the final day of his New York engagements, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with Hamdi Ulukaya, Chairman of the Türkiye-U.S. Business Council, and leading U.S. corporate executives. The meeting focused on economic relations between Türkiye and the United States, investment opportunities and increasing trade volume. Figures on mutual investments by Turkish and American companies were reviewed, and the potential for cooperation in energy, defense industry and technology sectors was discussed. Türkiye’s position in global supply chains, steps toward green and digital transformation in industry, and its capacity to attract foreign direct investment were also addressed. The potential of Türkiye as a regional trade hub was presented, and targets for exports and tourism revenue were mutually assessed.
Meeting with SETA and U.S. Think Tank Representatives
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended a meeting organized under the coordination of SETA (Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research) during his New York engagements. Senior representatives of U.S. think tanks participated. The meeting addressed Türkiye’s foreign policy priorities, regional crises and international security issues. Erdoğan evaluated the current state of Türkiye-U.S. relations and potential areas for strategic cooperation. Developments in the Middle East, opportunities for cooperation within NATO, and challenges facing the international order were also discussed.
UN Climate Summit
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed participants at the United Nations Climate Summit held at the UN Headquarters. In his speech, he outlined ongoing transformation efforts in key sectors in line with Türkiye’s target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2053.
Erdoğan emphasized that the Climate Law adopted in July 2025 represents a significant step toward this goal and noted ongoing efforts to establish an emissions trading system, implement a green finance strategy and develop a national green taxonomy. He stated that Türkiye’s climate policies are built on seven pillars: energy, industry, buildings, transportation, waste, agriculture and forestry.
The President said that Türkiye’s second nationally determined contribution is being prepared to cover all sectors and all greenhouse gases. He outlined the goal of reducing emissions by 466 million tons by 2035 through policy measures, bringing total emissions down to 643 million tons.
Erdoğan noted that Türkiye has made significant progress in renewable energy capacity, with renewables now accounting for over 60% of total installed power capacity as of this year. He highlighted the widespread adoption of low-carbon technologies in industry, prioritization of electric vehicle production and railway investments, and efforts to reduce carbon intensity in transportation and energy.
President Erdoğan reiterated Türkiye’s long-term goals by saying: “We will continue transforming our key sectors in line with our net-zero emissions target for 2053.” He also emphasized the importance of international financing and technology cooperation in achieving these goals. He noted the critical role of the “Zero Waste” movement, under the patronage of Emine Erdoğan, in combating climate change through water efficiency initiatives. He also announced that Türkiye aims to host the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) in 2026.
