I thank the Chair and distinguished members of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence for giving me this opportunity to address this respectable committee about Turkish foreign policy and Turkish foreign relations, as well as matters of mutual interest between Turkey and Ireland. Before proceeding to Turkish foreign policy, I would like to dwell shortly on the bilateral relations between Turkey and Ireland.
Turkey and Ireland enjoy historical bonds of friendship dating back to the Great Irish Famine. Aid sent by the then Ottoman Sultan to Ireland in 1847 built an everlasting friendship bridge between our countries. We are pleased that there is no outstanding political dispute between Turkey and Ireland. Hence, we strive to give an impetus to our current political relations and interactions. We also would like to increase our economic, commercial, trade, cultural and educational relations. We are eager to make efforts to double the current trade volume between our countries, which is around €1.5 billion. Also, we would like to increase mutual investments in our countries.
There are almost 5,000 Turkish citizens in Ireland. Most of them are working in international companies and one fifth of them are students. We believe that further interaction between educational institutions in Turkey and Ireland is needed. It will further increase the number of Turkish students in Irish universities and language schools.
The Covid-19 pandemic has proved that Turkey has a more resilient health system when compared to many developed countries in the world. While providing the best healthcare to our citizens, we sent medical aid to 159 countries and 12 international organisations. We also know that many non-Covid-19 patients from Ireland choose Turkey for their routine or normal medical treatments. Owing to this background, we can increase the co-operation between our medical institutions and healthcare workers. One other promising co-operation area is in the construction sector. Turkey, which ranks in the top five countries in this sector, may contribute to Ireland’s ambitious new housing and infrastructure projects.
After this short introduction about Turkey-Ireland relations, I would like to continue with Turkish foreign policy and matters of mutual interest. Turkish foreign policy aims to protect Turkey’s interests in a volatile regional and global environment, while also shaping conditions for sustainable peace and development in our neighbourhood and beyond. In the pursuit of this primary goal, like Ireland, Turkey contributes to peace, prosperity, and stability around the world.
Guided by our enduring objective to achieve "peace at home, peace in the world", as set out by the founder of our republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, we implement an enterprising and humanitarian foreign policy, which, in our President's words, "reflects the enterprising spirit and humanitarian values of our nation".
In order to eliminate threats and challenges and to take advantage of emerging opportunities, Turkey is compelled to pursue a foreign policy that is strong on the ground and at the table by implementing an insightful and agile diplomacy. In this regard, Turkey benefits from deep-rooted traditions of diplomacy and derives strength from several factors, including its central geographical position, rich historical experience, robust institutions, strong human resources and a dynamic economy. As such, Turkey's foreign policy is the embodiment of a bridge between tradition and the future.
In line with the enterprising aspect of its foreign policy, Turkey conducts a diplomacy that thinks globally but also acts locally in every corner of the world. With 253 diplomatic and consular missions, Turkey has spawned the fifth largest diplomatic network globally. Turkey maintains close ties with countries in the Balkans, the Middle East, north Africa, the southern Caucasus, and southern and central Asia. Beyond these neighbouring regions, we are expanding the horizons of Turkish foreign policy, reaching out to Africa and Latin America. In Africa, we have increased the number of our embassies from 12 to 43. Our trade volume with Africa is currently approximately $26 billion. We intend to hold the third Turkey-Africa summit in December 2021. In Latin America, we have increased the number of our embassies from six to 17 and our trade volume, parallel to that increase, has gone up from $1 billion to $12 billion. The Asia Anew initiative announced in 2019 has given Turkey the opportunity to lay the foundations of a holistic and comprehensive policy towards Asia and the Pacific, home of the rising powers of the 21st century. We have established strategic relations with China, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea and Singapore.
As a pluralist secular democracy that began westernising its economic, political and social structures in the 19th century, Turkey chose western Europe as the model for its new secular structure following the proclamation of the republic in 1923. Ever since, Turkey has closely aligned itself with the West. Turkey is a founding member of the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, OSCE, and a member of NATO and the OECD. Turkey is a part of Europe and will remain so. In addition, Turkey has a strategic partnership with the United States as a NATO ally and considers the transatlantic link vital for security and prosperity in Europe.
As the committee knows, Turkey has been a candidate country to the EU since 1963. Full membership of the Union remains a strategic priority for Turkey and accession negotiations are the backbone of Turkey-EU relations. Turkey believes in the necessity of developing a positive agenda in Turkey-EU relations based on our accession perspective. That will serve the interests of both sides and contribute to the stability in our region. Starting a Turkey-EU customs union modernisation process and full implementation of the 18 March statement will make a difference in the relations we have with the EU. In this context, we appreciate the ongoing support of Ireland for Turkey's EU accession process and for keeping the channels of communication open.
As a founding member of the United Nations, Turkey, like Ireland, is a strong supporter of multilateralism. Finding solutions to global challenges depends on collective efforts forged by co-operation and effective multilateralism. This reality guides Turkey's active diplomacy within multilateral fora. We are a founding member of several regional organisations and initiatives such as the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, the South-East European Cooperation Process and the Economic Cooperation Organization. In addition, Turkey is a prominent member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the Developing-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation, the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States, the Asia Cooperation Dialogue and the MIKTA partnership comprising Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, Turkey and Australia. Turkey has also been an active member of the G20 since its inception, holding its term presidency for 2015. Turkey served at the UN Security Council during 2009 and 2010 as a constructive member, contributing to global peace, stability and security. Under the motto of "The world is bigger than five", coined by President Erdoğan, Turkey has been advocating the reform of the UN Security Council, the UN and other multilateral organisations in order that they be fit for the purpose of today.
On the basis of its enterprising and humanitarian foreign policy, Turkey provides developmental and humanitarian aid programmes. Turkey is the largest humanitarian donor in the world and the most generous country on the basis of per capita humanitarian spending. At the same time, Turkey is currently the top refugee-hosting country in the world. It hosts almost 5 million externally displaced people, approximately 3.7 million of whom are Syrians under temporary protection. Turkey has spent more than $40 billion to provide aid and services to the Syrians. Turkey supports the voluntary and dignified return of Syrians to Syria and, thanks to our efforts, nearly 462,000 of them were able to return to their homes.
The international community cannot allow the Syrian crisis to linger on for another ten years. We need to display a stronger will to find a political solution to the problem, based on United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254 and in a way that will meet the expectations of the Syrian people. We welcome the extension of the United Nations' humanitarian assistance mechanism, which is delivered to the north-west of Syria via Turkey, for another 12 months. We appreciate the strong efforts of Ireland and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Coveney, in this regard. We had the pleasure to host the Minister in Turkey last January within the framework of those efforts.
Following developments in Afghanistan, we have recently been faced with the possibility of yet another inflow of migrants from that country. The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is getting worse. There are approximately 300,000 Afghans in Turkey. For comparison, the figure was 35,000 in 2015. As a country that saved human dignity in the Syrian crisis, we no longer have the capability, nor the tolerance, to absorb new immigration waves. On the basis of fair burden and responsibility sharing, it is high time for all stakeholders to do their part on this issue. We support the UN's efforts to provide impartial humanitarian assistance to Afghans in Afghanistan and neighbouring countries.
As far as the Syrian crisis is concerned, our struggle against terrorist organisations that threaten the territorial integrity of Syria and our national security will continue with determination. Making any distinction between terrorist organisations in the region and using them as subcontractors is unacceptable. Acts of terrorism in different countries of the world over the past ten years have shown that terrorism is not only our common enemy but also a common enemy of all mankind.
While combating terrorism, Turkey gives particular attention to fundamental rights and freedoms. Advancing our democracy to a higher level has always been a top priority on our agenda. Our policies of zero tolerance against torture and violence against women continue firmly. Two years after the publication of the judicial reform strategy, the human rights action plan is a further indication of Turkey's unwavering resolve for reform. The action plan lays out concrete steps for further protecting and promoting human rights and strengthening the independence of the judiciary, such as reviewing legislation on freedom of expression and assembly, enhancing women's rights and combating violence against women, fighting against discrimination and hate crime and intensifying meetings with representatives of non-Muslim communities living in Turkey.
I am aware that the eastern Mediterranean issue and the situation in Cyprus have been discussed in the Oireachtas on several occasions. I consider today's session as an opportunity to put forward Turkey's views on those issues. Turkey's policy towards the eastern Mediterranean has two dimensions. The first is related to the maritime boundary delimitation in the region. The second dimension concerns the protection of the rights of Turkish Cypriots over the offshore resources of the island. We hope the problems regarding maritime boundary delimitation will be resolved within the framework of international law and good neighbourly relations.
Our proposal to organise an eastern Mediterranean conference in which all actors in the region will take part for dialogue and co-operation is still on the table.
Similarly, we believe that the problems in the Aegean Sea should be resolved through a bilateral dialogue. Thanks to our efforts, dialogue channels are in place and are operating. The 63rd round of consultative talks with Greece were held in Turkey last week on 6 October. With regard to the Cyprus issue, the current deadlock proves the failure of all federation negotiations since 1968. A new round of federation negotiations will lead us nowhere. Neither Turkey nor the Turkish Cypriots have another 50 years to lose. A fair, lasting and sustainable solution to the Cyprus issue is possible only through a result-oriented, realistic approach. It should be based on the realities on the island. Also, for a solution, it is necessary to reaffirm the sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot people, who are the co-owners of the island. Therefore, we believe that it is high time to consider a negotiated two-state settlement. We just want the international community to evaluate the views of the Turkish Cypriots as announced in Geneva with an open mind and without prejudice.
Another primary issue in Turkish foreign policy is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which fuels instability and threatens peace and security in our region. As long as the persecution of the Palestinian people continues, lasting peace and stability in the Middle East is not possible. Therefore, occupation, annexation and illegal settlement policies must absolutely and immediately be brought to an end. In this context, we welcome and are closely following the developments regarding the occupied territories Bill in Ireland. The peace process and the vision of a two-state solution must be revived without further delay. The establishment of an independent and contiguous Palestinian state, with Jerusalem as its capital, on the basis of the 1967 borders remains among our primary objectives.
There is one crucial issue that is common for all countries and nations, irrespective of being European, Asian, American, African, rich or poor. It is climate change. As our President put in detail during the UN General Assembly meeting last September in New York, Turkey plays its role in taking necessary measures in fighting climate change. If effective measures are not taken and greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase, our children will not inherit a habitable world. The duty for all of us is to take measures against this threat, with fair burden-sharing, and to fulfil our obligations quickly. Acting with this understanding, Turkey was among the first signatories of the Paris Agreement of 2015. President Erdoğan announced during the United Nations General Assembly meeting that the agreement will be submitted to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey this month for approval, and the ratification process of the agreement will be completed before the United Nations Climate Change Conference which will be held in Glasgow in late November. Indeed, I am happy to announce that the agreement was ratified by the assembly on 6 October last.
Before finalising my remarks, I wish to take this opportunity to renew the invitation from Mr. Çağatay Kılıç, the president of the commission for foreign affairs of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey to visit Turkey. The committee's alternate date proposals for the visit will be welcome in due course. With such a visit, I am confident that the inter-parliamentary contacts between our two countries will also develop and strengthen to our mutual benefit. I thank the committee for this opportunity.
