Turkey launches Antalya forum to ‘recode diplomacy’

ANTALYA

Dozens of world leaders and more than 50 foreign ministers gathered to discuss today’s and tomorrow’s world affairs, including the ongoing war in Ukraine, at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum organized by the Turkish Foreign Ministry and devoted to “recoding diplomacy.”

The forum was launched by Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, who urged effective use of diplomacy for the resolution of all the problems for the good sake of humanity.

“When looking at participants from all over the world, the Antalya Diplomacy Forum has turned into United Nations,” he said, stressing that the forum has already become a well-known platform for sharing views and discussing global affairs. “More than one-third of countries, around 40 percent of the states are present at the highest level here today.”

Citing current challenges and growing escalation in different parts of the world, Çavuşoğlu warned, “Today Europe is seeking for a new anchor for stability. If we observe the collapse of the post-colonial system then it would be a disaster.”

So many established rules and principles are being breached, including the stability of boundaries, and many international agreements are no longer respected, the minister said, adding a new language and understanding is needed for resolving the world problems.

The forum brings together around 2,500 people, including 17 heads of state and government, more than 80 foreign ministers, representatives from some 39 international institutions, ambassadors, academics, civil society representatives, media and students. The participants will observe 27 panels, four round table meetings and two events for youth during the forum. They are to address a wide range of topics in international relations under the overarching theme of “Recoding Diplomacy.”

Among the participants are NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, Turkish Cypriot President Ersin Tatar as well as the presidents of Slovenia, Niger, Kosovo, Somalia, Haiti, Gine-Bıssau, Montenegro, Kenya and North Macedonia. The prime ministers of Kosovo and Albania were also present. Representatives from the Taliban were also present at the forum where the issue of Afghanistan will also be debated.

Meanwhile, Çavuşoğlu also held bilateral meetings with some of the visiting foreign ministers, including those from Qatar and Italia, and also met Stoltenberg.