Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Politics
  • Diplomacy
  • Legislation
  • War On Terror
  • EU Affairs
  • Elections
  • News Analysis

Global challenges like the coronavirus pandemic require a global response, Turkish FM says

by DAILY SABAH

ISTANBUL Apr 02, 2020 - 11:39 pm GMT+3
A woman walks her dog under the marquee at The Anthem music venue reading "We'll Get Thru This" referring to the battle against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Washington, U.S., Thursday, April 2, 2020. REUTERS
A woman walks her dog under the marquee at The Anthem music venue reading "We'll Get Thru This" referring to the battle against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Washington, U.S., Thursday, April 2, 2020. REUTERS
by DAILY SABAH Apr 02, 2020 11:39 pm
RECOMMENDED
A voter casts her ballot for presidential and parliamentary elections at a polling station in a government school in Istanbul, Türkiye, May 14, 2023. (AFP Photo)

Millions vote in Türkiye's presidential, parliamentary elections

elections

A global challenge requires a global response, first on the public health front and then in the economy, said Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on Thursday, adding that the response should continue over the long haul in reforming international institutions and the way countries support them.

Writing an article for the Washington Times titled "What we do today will define tomorrow," Çavuşoğlu mentioned the coronavirus, its effects on the global system and how to properly respond to it.

"The top priority is to protect the health and safety of people from COVID-19," Çavuşoğlu said, adding that Turkey supports the G-20's stance in this matter.

Expressing that the G-20 is proving again to be the right format for global crisis management, the foreign minister referred to the recent G-20 statement as an exemplary move.

"We support the timely G-20 statement through which the leaders committed to act in solidarity in the fight against the pandemic and safeguard the global economy and unrestricted trade," he underlined.

Releasing a statement following a meeting conveyed via videoconference last week, G-20 countries pledged to do whatever it took to overcome the coronavirus pandemic. The countries underlined that tackling the pandemic and its intertwined medical, social and economic impact was their "absolute priority." The statement also added that the countries would be committed to presenting a united front against the coronavirus.

"We commit to take all necessary health measures and seek to ensure adequate financing to contain the pandemic and protect people, especially the most vulnerable," the statement says. "We task our health ministers to meet as needed to share national best practices and develop a set of G-20 urgent actions on jointly combatting the pandemic by their ministerial meeting in April."

Pointing at the pandemics' influence over the global system, Çavuşoğlu said that it was in tatters even before humanity was struck by the coronavirus.

"Turkey for one had been making the case that we needed to reform the system. We called it 'the world is larger than five' agenda, referring to the outdated composition of the U.N. Security Council but not stopping there," he reminded.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan often criticizes the U.N., saying that the current structure of the organization is an obstacle to resolving ongoing problems around the world. The president critiqued the fact that these countries can block crucial international decisions regarding various delicate matters, calling for significant U.N. reform.

With the saying, "The world is bigger than five," Erdoğan has long chastised the U.N. structure that has continued since World War II. He has been consistently voicing this in his addresses to the U.N. General Assembly. This situation already reveals that the U.N. is a status quo institution and a structure that created institutions and mechanisms legitimizing the order established after World War II and maintained under U.S. hegemony.

Erdoğan has previously said that major decisions should not be left to the mercy of five members only, but rather, countries should alternate and the number of members sitting at the U.N. Security Council should be increased to around 20.

"As a country that had to address unending conflicts and human misery in our close neighborhood and home to the largest refugee population in the world, we have known that the system was not working," the foreign minister further elaborated on Turkey's stance on the issue.

Emphasizing that many countries, including Turkey, have been taking individual measures against the crisis, Çavuşoğlu underscored that still, individual efforts would not suffice.

"The relevant international institutions should assume an effective role in financial and medical equipment assistance. Protection of fragile communities, irregular migrants and refugees, and support to host countries are even more important now," he highlighted.

In Çavuşoğlu's opinion, ending any and all conflict is a must in such situations that the world has been going through right now.

"A cross-cutting theme in the much needed global response is ending the conflicts that exact a very heavy toll on the humans, ecosystem, economy and our conscience. We, therefore, call on the international community to step down in all conflicts, cease hostilities, and search earnestly for dialogue and reconciliation including in the Middle East," he said.

"The seeds we sow today will soon confront us as full-blown realities," the foreign minister continued, "The reality of a rules-based global system, a network of functioning nation-states that are resilient and accountable, economies that leave no one behind and benefit all, supported by fit-for-purpose international organizations, all focusing on the well-being of the people irrespective of their nationality, faith or race can be within reach."

After first appearing in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December, the new coronavirus has spread to at least 180 countries and regions. Confirmed coronavirus cases passed one million around the world on Thursday.

The virus claimed thousands of more lives in its relentless march across the globe, with Spain and Britain seeing the highest number of daily deaths yet, despite measures putting more than half of the planet on some form of lockdown.

In recent weeks, Turkey has closed most public spaces, schools and universities, and restricted public transport. It also imposed a 24-hour curfew for people aged 65 or over as well as for those with chronic illnesses. In Istanbul, people aged 65 or over with no financial means will receive food packages at their homes, Gov. Ali Yerlikaya said last week. The campaign covers nearly 50,000 people and will last for six weeks.

RECOMMENDED
A voter casts her ballot for presidential and parliamentary elections at a polling station in a government school in Istanbul, Türkiye, May 14, 2023. (AFP Photo)

Millions vote in Türkiye's presidential, parliamentary elections

elections
  • shortlink copied
  • RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    coronavirus outbreak g20 summit globalization syria refugee crisis covid-19
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    An amateur photographer Vincent Cornelissen captures a bean goose flying upside down. (Photo from Instagram @b0unce1971)

    It is showing off: Photographer captures goose flying upside down

    ANIMALS-ARCHIVES
    Parts of the newly completed last section of the Northern Marmara Motorway, Istanbul, Turkey, May 19, 2021. (DHA Photo)

    Turkey raises speed limits on highways starting from July

    SPEED-LIMIT

    Türkiye registers better-than-expected current account gap

    current-account-balance

    Istanbul's consulate chronicles: Sudhi Choudhary, Consul General of India

    SUDHI-CHOUDHARY
    No Image
    A very wet new year: Thai celebrate Songkran Water Festival
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021