The United Nations Security Council must go through reform to operate on the basis of fair representation between states, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said late Monday, marking the 77th anniversary of the U.N. and Oct. 24 United Nations Day.
In a statement, the president said: "A U.N. General Assembly where all the member countries are equally represented and which reflects the common will of the international community should definitely be strengthened.”
He added that a "more democratic, more transparent, more active and more accountable" Security Council is an expectation shared by the international community.
"It is obvious that the U.N. should assume a more active role in resolving crises which claim the lives of thousands of innocent people every day, and in ensuring sustainable development," Erdoğan said.
Erdoğan has long criticized the unrepresentative nature of the Security Council's five permanent members, urging reform under the slogan: "The world is bigger than five." He argued that because the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council – the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China and Russia – use their veto power for their own interests, the disadvantaged countries are paying an "unfair price."
"It is not possible for the U.N. Security Council, which acts by considering the priorities of only five permanent members, to prevent conflicts and establish peace, stability and security," Erdoğan often voiced.
On the other hand, continuing his message for the U.N., Erdoğan said: "Türkiye will continue to be a strong supporter and defender of the U.N., the values represented by the U.N., and the activities of the U.N."
Erdoğan said Türkiye is one of the countries that has made the "most concrete" contributions and assumed leading roles in the work carried out within the U.N. in the areas of peace and security, human rights, and sustainable development.
"We as a responsible member of the international community spearhead efforts aimed at averting conflicts and maintaining stability in our region and beyond. We have led the shipments of Ukrainian grain to the world via the Black Sea through the intensive endeavors we have exerted in cooperation with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres," he said.
This July, Türkiye, the U.N., Russia, and Ukraine signed an agreement in Istanbul to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports, which paused after the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in February.
After ensuring the shipment of over 8 million tons of grain and similar products under the Istanbul agreement, which will soon need renewal, Erdoğan said Türkiye continues "in an intensive manner our diplomatic talks aimed at uninterruptedly maintaining the shipments."
In humanitarian diplomacy, Erdogan stressed that Türkiye, as the top donor of humanitarian aid to the world in proportion to its national income, also plays an active role under the U.N. roof.
