Antalya Diplomacy Forum kicks off with representatives from 147 countries

Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said that the Islamic world, Global South, and conscientious individuals in the West stand for Gaza, while “perpetrators of the massacre ignore this outcry.”

“We can see that honourable individuals in the West are no longer indifferent to this atrocity in Gaza,” Fidan said during a speech at Antalya Diplomacy Forum, on Friday.

Fidan said that the loss of effectiveness and legitimacy in the international system has brought more violence and brutality.

"Therefore, we don't have time to lose. We need diplomacy immediately, right now. What is happening in Gaza is the clearest sign of the legitimacy crisis of the international system," he expressed, adding:

"The image of Gaza is a moment of disaster where the hypocrisy of the international system is unmistakably revealed.”

He added that the self-immolation of a US soldier because he could not bear complicity in the Gaza massacre was a sign of the legitimacy crisis in the international system.

Referring to the massacre in the town of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War, which Picasso immortalised in his artwork, Fidan pointed out that for the first time since 1937, sirens are now sounding in Guernica, this time for Palestine.

"Crisis in the international system"

He said that when they talk about the "crisis in the international system", they are not referring to an abstract concept.

"We are talking about a reality where the cries of the oppressed, the shouts of those seeking justice, day by day, moment by moment, are hammered as a nail into the coffin of a system that does not produce solutions."

“We are talking about a decay in which even crying over the massacre of the oppressed and victims is punished … a loss of legitimacy in which it is a crime to be human. Whatever is to be done will be done now so that massacres like in Gaza do not happen again," he added.

Fidan said that they initiated efforts at all levels from the first day of the crisis to urgently end the violence against the people of Gaza, reminding they have expressed since the beginning of the crisis that they are ready to assume responsibility, including guarantorship, together with the countries in the region.

Collaboration between Iraq and Türkiye

The forum offered a platform for leaders from various countries to meet and address the current challenges and global issues as well as holding panels and exhibitions.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein spoke to Anadolu Agency at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, saying that the planned Türkiye-Iraq Development Road will be a "massive project" that will connect the Gulf countries with Europe.

Hussein added that both countries – Iraq and Türkiye – are "in good discussions" on the realisation of the project.

Confirming that the Iraqi side is in the process of developing the Port of Faw in southern Iraq in the first phase of the project, yet, he said, it would require further investments.

The project's 745-mile (1,200-kilometer) railway and highways will connect the Great Faw Port, which is aimed to be the largest port in the Middle East. It is planned to be completed by 2025 to the Turkish border at an expected cost of $17 billion.

"PKK is a problem for Türkiye, but it is also a problem for Iraq"

On the issue of the PKK terrorist group, the Iraqi top diplomat stressed that the terrorist group is a problem for Iraq as it is for Türkiye.

Asked about the Iraqi forces’ recent deployment in the Duhok region, northern Iraq, he replied: "It is true that PKK is a problem for Türkiye, but it is also a problem for Iraq."

He affirmed the Iraqi government is obliged "not to allow any groups to function on Iraqi soil and to attack another country."

The Iraqi foreign minister added that his government is having talks with the Turkish side over security issues, especially the security on the border areas between them.

He said that in the upcoming meeting between the two countries in Baghdad next month, they are set to discuss developing a plan regarding the general security situation between them as well as their border security.

Turkish first lady welcomes guests

As the leaders attend the panels and exhibitions at the forum, Turkish first lady Emine Erdogan welcomed international guests and held meetings with her counterparts and others.

"We were delighted to welcome the heads of states and governments, their esteemed spouses, and all of our international guests from around the globe to the third Antalya Diplomacy Forum," Erdogan said on X.

"The forum provides a crucial platform for dialogue and peace by bringing together people of various cultures, languages, and perspectives."

She hoped that diplomacy will find greater light "amidst the darkness of conflicts" and that "wars will cease to inflict further suffering on humanity."

Emine Erdogan met Croatian President Gibarar Kitarovic, first lady of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Sibel Tatar, wife of TRNC premier Fatma Zerrin Ustel, Serbian first lady Tamara Vucic, and Queen Inkhosikati Lambikiza of Eswatini, among others.

She also held a meeting with economist Jeffrey Sachs, also the director of UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

"With Mr. Sachs, who gave us insightful information about sustainability and the ZeroWaste movement, we talked about areas of cooperation," she said. "We discussed the efforts being made in Türkiye in this respect and shared opinions. I thank him for all his contributions."

Meanwhile, Erdogan discussed aid operations in Gaza with Kate Forbes, president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Representatives from 147 countries

The Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF) has kicked off in Türkiye's Mediterranean coastline city of Antalya and will host representatives from 147 countries worldwide under the theme “Elevating Diplomacy Amidst Crises''.

Nearly 4,500 participants, including 19 heads of state, 73 ministers, and 57 international representatives are expected to attend the third edition of the forum, which begins on Friday.

The forum will include a wide range of participants, from diplomats and politicians to students, academics, civil society organisations, and the business community.

The forum will cover various topics such as global issues, climate crisis, migration, Islamophobia, trade wars, and artificial intelligence.

More than 50 panels will be held at the forum between March 1 and 3, with multiple exhibitions also being featured.

The Century of Türkiye exhibition, which showcases Türkiye's vision in the fields of art, energy, defence, and industry, will be opened at the forum.

The forum will also include Bulletproof Dreams: Gaza Children Painters Exhibition, organised by Türkiye's Presidency of Communications to highlight the humanitarian crisis in Gaza through the perspective of children.

Panel topics ranging from the Balkans to African issues

Following the opening, a leaders' panel titled 'Elevating Diplomacy Amidst Crises', which shares the name of this year's theme, will be held.

The panel, featuring the presidents of Bulgaria, Kosovo, Somalia, and Djibouti, will discuss advancing and highlighting diplomacy.

The second panel will discuss promoting multilateralism during crises, featuring the presidents of Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau, and Congo.

The forum will include regional sessions on Africa, Latin America, and the Asia-Pacific, areas of geographical and recent foreign policy significance for Türkiye.

The panel on Balkan issues will include the foreign ministers of Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and North Macedonia, along with the UK's Special Representative for the Balkans. They will discuss the challenges and opportunities in the region.

The forum will also discuss the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization and security issues, with two panels on Eurasia and the Turkic World.

The Turkic Council's institutionalisation and advancement in the 21st century, as well as enhancing cooperation within the Council, will be discussed at the ministerial level.

Mevlut Cavusoglu, the chairman of the Turkish Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, will also participate.

The Eurasia panel will discuss regional issues as well as economic cooperation opportunities.

It will include presidents of regional organisations and some country representatives discussing the topic of "connectivity."

"Building Blocks for Lasting Peace in the Middle East"

A session on the Middle East will be held with four panels addressing various issues in the region.

The Gaza Contact Group panel, hosted by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, will discuss efforts to stop the Palestinian issue and the ongoing massacre in Gaza, and exchange views.

The panel, to be held among the members of the contact group, is planned to include the deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Jordan, along with the foreign ministers of Palestine, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

The panel titled Building Blocks for Lasting Peace in the Middle East will also address recent events in Gaza.

It will include the foreign ministers of Lebanon and Palestine, the deputy foreign minister of Bahrain, and the deputy secretary-general of the Arab League.

The guarantorship model of Türkiye in achieving a permanent solution to the Palestinian issue will also be discussed by academics at the roundtable.

The fourth panel, focusing on the Middle East, will be held at the expert level, bringing together journalists and thinkers from the region to discuss "how a new ground can be created in the Middle East."

International Politics and Security

The "International Politics and Security" category will feature panels discussing various topics, including the role of "women" in security and diplomacy.

The session titled "Women, Peace, and Security," led by First Lady Emine Erdogan, will have special and high-level participation.

Racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, and mediation will also be discussed at the forum.

A panel on climate crisis, which will also address energy and food security, will include participation from Africa and the Middle East.

A session will support less developed countries, with the participation of representatives from the UN Technology Bank and the UNDP Private Sector Development Center.

A roundtable meeting titled "International Trade, Connectivity, and Interdependence," which will be attended by Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, will also be held.