Erdoğan reiterates call for ceasefire in Gaza at G20 Summit
RIO DE JANEIRO
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has reiterated his call for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza during his speech on Nov. 18 at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
As host, the Brazilian leader placed world hunger and poverty as top priorities in the agenda, alongside reform of the institutions of global governance and sustainable development and energy transition. The first two sessions of the summit took place on Nov. 18
Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva opened the summit by lamenting the growing tensions and armed conflicts plaguing the global stage. "I observe with sadness that the world is worse: we have the highest number of armed conflicts since World War II and the largest number of forced displacements ever recorded," said Lula.
During the session titled “Combating Hunger and Poverty,” he launched a “Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty” initiative to end world hunger.
Erdoğan stressed that Türkiye is committed to global efforts to combat poverty and food insecurity. He stated that Türkiye sees the mobilization of the Brazilian presidency not only as a strategic initiative but also as a moral responsibilty.
Addressing the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Middle East, Erdoğan highlighted that 96 percent of Gaza’s population — over 2 million people — lack access to clean food and water.
“Especially in Gaza, the risk of famine has reached the level of 'catastrophic' according to international classifications,” Erdoğan said. “With the increasing attacks and the approaching winter season, the conditions of the people in Gaza are worsening by day.”
He also announced that Türkiye has provided over 86,000 tons of aid to Gaza and more than 1,300 tons to Lebanon.
Emphasizing that in a world where one in ten people suffers from hunger, the president said efforts to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the UN General Assembly nine years ago have not yet yielded the expected results.
He said Türkiye represents a tradition that considers it a duty to help those in need, wherever they are in the world, within its means.
Pointing to the Zero Waste Initiative, which has become a global campaign recognized by the United Nations, Erdoğan said, “I believe that the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty should include the reduction of food waste and the Zero Waste Initiative among its priorities.”
Stating that Türkiye plays an active role in various food security initiatives as an important element of its humanitarian foreign policy, Erdoğan noted that the Black Sea Grain Corridor prevented the rapid increase in global food prices and contributed to reducing the risk of famine.
He pointed out that the G20 Food Security and Sustainable Food Systems Action Plan, which was developed and presented for approval during Türkiye’s G20 presidency in 2015, has guided many governments in their efforts.
After attending the sessions on social inclusion and global governance reform and the MIKTA Leaders' Meeting, Erdoğan joined the family photo of the G20 Leaders' Summit.
The closing session on sustainable development and energy will be held on Nov. 19. and the summit will conclude with the G20 presidency transferring from Brazil to South Africa.
