Erdoğan set for diplomatic marathon with back-to-back summits

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is poised for a busy month of diplomacy, with several high-profile summits and meetings with world leaders on the agenda.

Erdoğan is set to open in November by addressing a session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation's Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation on Nov. 4 in Istanbul.

Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz will chair the committee’s meeting, where member countries, represented by ministerial delegations, will discuss topics like digital payment systems and future economic collaborations.

Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek is expected to deliver a presentation.

Following the OIC talks, Erdoğan will travel to Kyrgyzstan on Nov. 5 for a summit of the Organization of Turkic States, where topics including strengthening regional ties and ongoing cooperation are expected to take center stage.

The president will then head to Hungary, as both nations mark the centennial of diplomatic relations this year.

Bilateral issues will feature prominently in the discussions, with the visit also marking the Turkish-Hungarian Cultural Year, celebrating the 1923 friendship agreement between the two nations.

Erdoğan’s diplomatic tour continues in the Azerbaijani capital Baku for the U.N.'s climate summit COP29 on Nov. 11 and 12.

Türkiye's "zero waste" initiative, spearheaded by first lady Emine Erdoğan, is expected to be highlighted during the summit, which will bring together leaders from around the world.

On Nov. 18 and 19, Erdoğan will attend the G20 summit in Brazil, where he is expected to engage with leaders on critical topics such as new trade agreements and rising tensions in the Middle East.

Amid his international engagements, Erdoğan will also turn his focus toward domestic politics, with preparations for the eighth regular congress of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) already in place.

He is expected to attend the first of the provincial congresses in the eastern city of Malatya on Nov. 9.

The AKP held an extraordinary congress held in October 2023, during which Erdoğan was reelected as the party's leader.

It also saw a significant reshuffle in the party's decision-making body, with 49 members losing their positions and 26 incumbents retaining theirs.

The new congress process, culminating in April, comes as the party celebrates its 22nd anniversary of political power.

"Our dear nation has rebuilt civil politics through the AKP, initiating a transformative process politically, socially and structurally," AKP spokesperson Ömer Çelik said in an X post on Nov. 3.

"Under the leadership of our Chairman Erdoğan, AKP politics has paved the way for the solid future of our nation, tirelessly and relentlessly."

He said the party would continue to "pursue its goals with determination to carry the country to new horizons."