Erdoğan calls for UN reform, pledges Türkiye's support on organization's 79th anniversary

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan declared Türkiye's readiness to support efforts to reform the United Nations, calling for a more just and effective international system in a message marking the U.N.'s 79th anniversary on Thursday.

“Türkiye is ready to support all efforts to ensure that the U.N., which it considers the cornerstone of multilateralism, once again becomes a beacon of hope for humanity and that the international system is structured effectively based on principles of justice, equality, and solidarity, free from double standards,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in his celebration message. 

He emphasized Türkiye's commitment to contributing to U.N. initiatives aimed at mediation, peacekeeping, counterterrorism, and environmental protection. He highlighted the growing U.N. presence in Türkiye, particularly in Istanbul, as evidence of strengthened cooperation.

The Turkish leader criticized the U.N. Security Council's response to the Gaza crisis, stating it had "failed in its duty" and was "emboldening the perpetrators." 

“It is now vital for the Security Council to take and implement the measures required by international law before the current situation in the Middle East escalates into a more destructive and widespread crisis,” he said.

He further said that as the U.N. marks its anniversary, it does so with a heavy heart due to the record number of personnel lost in Gaza and other conflict zones, ongoing attacks on peacekeeping missions, and the Secretary-General being labeled an "unwanted person."

"However, the destruction caused by conflicts around the world, the increasingly expanding and deepening state of hunger and poverty, and the toxic spread of Islamophobia and racism are raising the duties and responsibilities of the U.N. more and more each day," he said.

"The proper fulfillment of this responsibility can only be achieved by ensuring the appropriate conditions for all of the U.N. core organs, including the Security Council, to effectively carry out their functions," Erdoğan said.

The president concluded by commemorating U.N. personnel who have lost their lives in service and reiterating Türkiye's support for a renewed, more effective United Nations.