Reform must begin with the United Nations Security Council to create a fairer world, a Turkish diplomat argued Thursday at a forum in Switzerland; reads a Daily Sabah report.
Diplomats, journalists, and academics gathered in Bern for the "Stratcom Public Forum: A Fairer World is Possible" conference, discussing key UN reform issues, including the Security Council, the Israel-Palestine conflict, and the Russia-Ukraine war.
Among the attendees were Turkiye’s Ambassador to Bern Şebnem İncesu, Zurich Consul General Fazlı Çorman, Geneva Consul General İpek Zeytinoglu Ozkan, Swiss Turkish Society (ITT) head Suat Sahin, and Communications Counselor at the Turkish Embassy in Bern Bayram Altug. A video message from Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun was also featured.
In her speech, İncesu highlighted the shifting global landscape and an increasingly fragile geopolitical outlook for 2025 and beyond, citing the World Economic Forum’s latest report on rising tensions. She emphasized Turkiye’s commitment to peace, echoing the Republic’s founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s motto, "Peace at home, peace in the world." She also noted that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s message—"a fairer world is possible"—reflects Turkiye’s dedication to global stability.
Turkiye’s Permanent Representative to the UN Office in Geneva, Ambassador Burak Akcapar, underscored deepening global inequalities, calling for UN reforms to address them. He criticized the Security Council’s outdated structure, reiterating Erdogan’s assertion that "the world is bigger than five."
"The idea that five permanent Security Council members can represent the entire world is both obsolete and unjust," Akcapar said.
Zurich Consul General Fazli Çorman called for reforms beginning with the Security Council, whose failures in crises like Syria, Ukraine, and Gaza have exposed its flaws. He accused the council’s permanent members of prioritizing national interests over global peace, eroding the UN’s credibility.
"Reform must start with the Security Council, the body responsible for maintaining international peace and security," Çorman said, urging a pragmatic approach to change. While overcoming disagreements is difficult, he argued, meaningful reform could lead to a more just world.
Dina Abi Saad, a journalist covering the UN in Geneva since 2014, stressed that while achieving global peace is challenging, countries like Turkiye, with regional influence, must take the lead. She called for changes to the Security Council’s veto power to prevent further suffering.
Ahmad Alnaouq, a Gazan journalist and human rights observer for Euro-Med, shared his personal loss, saying more than 20 family members were killed in Gaza while he survived only because he was not there. He described Israel’s actions as "genocide," stating that his relatives were killed in their homes.
Swiss journalist Philipp Gut argued that Switzerland has lost its neutrality and global relevance. He criticized the Swiss government for excluding Russia from the Ukraine Peace Conference last June, asserting that lasting peace requires engaging all parties in dialogue. He praised Turkiye for hosting peace talks in Istanbul following the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022, emphasizing the importance of inclusive diplomacy.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
