Erdogan Calls for UN Security Council Reform, Urges Wider Recognition of Palestine

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for sweeping reforms of the United Nations Security Council and urged countries that have not recognised Palestine as a state to reconsider their position.

Speaking on Tuesday, September 22, during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Erdogan said the current structure of the Security Council was incapable of adequately reflecting the interests of the wider international community.

He argued that the wishes of more than 190 UN member states should not effectively depend on the decisions of the five permanent members of the Security Council; Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.

“Let’s recognise that a system in which the will of more than 190 countries is subject to the whims of five countries is neither fair nor capable of fully establishing trust,” Erdogan said, according to Reuters.

The Turkish president has repeatedly advocated changes to the Security Council, including a more inclusive structure. The council currently consists of five permanent members with veto power and 10 elected members.

Erdogan also devoted a significant part of his address to the Palestinian issue, urging countries that have not recognised a Palestinian state to review their positions.

He referred to the absence of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas from the General Assembly and said Turkey would continue to speak in support of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state.

“Today, once again, I call on all countries that have not yet recognized the state of Palestine to reconsider their decisions,” Erdogan said, according to Anadolu.

The Turkish leader sharply criticised the humanitarian situation in Gaza and called for greater international pressure to end the conflict. He also criticised the international response to the war and argued that the United Nations had been unable to fulfil its responsibility to preserve international peace and security.

The United Nations said Erdogan’s speech focused on reforming the organisation and restoring confidence in the multilateral system. In his remarks, he pointed to conflicts and crises in several parts of the world, including Gaza, Ukraine, Myanmar, Darfur, Iran and Lebanon.

Erdogan’s call for Security Council reform also drew attention from Russia. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow supported expanding the council’s permanent membership but opposed removing the existing veto system, arguing that permanent membership and veto rights remained important elements of the UN structure.

On Gaza, Erdogan has repeatedly described Israel’s military actions as genocide. Israel rejects that accusation and has maintained that its military operations are aimed at Hamas and are conducted in self-defence.

The Turkish president’s latest address therefore placed two long-standing issues at the centre of his UN diplomacy: reforming the structure of global decision-making and increasing international recognition and support for Palestinian statehood.

His remarks come as the war in Gaza and questions surrounding Palestinian statehood continue to dominate international diplomatic discussions at the United Nations.