22nd International Junior Diplomats Training Program Address by Deputy Foreign Minister H.E. AmbassadorAli Naci Koru

22^nd INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR DIPLOMATS TRAINING PROGRAM

9-30 APRIL 2016

ADDRESS BY DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER

H.E. AMBASSADOR A. NACİ KORU

Excellencies,

Dear Colleagues,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to start by expressing my pleasure to see you all here in Turkey. I hope you will have a pleasant stay in Ankara.

This year we are celebrating the 22nd “Training Program for International Junior Diplomats”.

The Diplomacy Academy exerts a real effort in putting together this Training Program, every aspect of which requires meticulous planning and academic preparations.

I am very glad to stress that since its inception in 1992, the program has brought together and trained almost 1000 young diplomats – just like yourselves - from 5 continents and more than 100 countries.

We are quite proud of the current state that the program has reached. The positive feedbacks we receive from the participants and the growing number of applicants encourages us to go even further with our Program and to expand its coverage both in terms of its content and the countries involved.

Our Academy seems to be the only Academy inviting this wide span of participants from Latin America to Asia-Pacific in one single program.

Dear Colleagues,

Turkish diplomacy is deeply rooted in tradition. This tradition, which goes back well into centuries, is duly reflected in the program.

We do not only give participants a chance to get familiar with various aspects of Turkish Foreign Policy but also give briefings on current international issues. We aim at putting everything on a global context.

In addition to this, in order to contribute to diplomatic skills of the participants, some technical expertise is offered on the practice of diplomacy, such as negotiation and mediation techniques, public speaking, communication skills and leadership.

In the organization of speakers, Diplomacy Academy cooperates with very prominent academics from the most respected Universities in Turkey. In addition to academics, our diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will also give some of the briefings. I would like to thank all of the lecturers for their indispensable contributions in making this Program a success.

Do keep in mind that understanding the dynamics of a country’s foreign policy requires understanding of its society, history, culture and art. That is why training in this program is not limited to international politics and security. It is enriched with lectures on Turkish art, culture, history, literature and music. Lectures are accompanied by live performances of music and art.

On the top of everything, in this multicultural setting, you learn from one another through free and dynamic discussions.

I believe this will establish common ground for further international cooperation and intercultural dialogue, as well as long-lasting friendship among you.

Dear colleagues,

The need to develop a deep mutual understanding is a must in today’s fast changing world.

In fact when I was around your age, at the beginning of my career, making sense of diplomacy was much easier.

It was a bi-polar world with rigid confines for international politics. Serving in the West Germany as a young diplomat was a unique experience for me to understand these two separate worlds.

Today rapid and vast geopolitical changes are characterizing the globe. This is an interconnected and interdependent world.

In recent years, we observe that the global transformation processes in political, economic and social spheres continue to gain momentum and produce complex challenges, many emanating from Turkey’s neighborhood.

Unfortunately, we have been witnessing one of the worst human tragedies since the World War II. In this context, Turkey’s foreign policy preferences have gained further importance, given the gravity of the latest developments. Hence, “responsibility” is a key concept in our international efforts. Surrounded by large array of crises and risks, Turkey has become a major actor for stable, secure and prosperous future.

Turkey rightfully takes pride in its policies that prioritize humanitarian concerns. Indeed, Turkey’s contributions in the field of humanitarian assistance have gained international recognition. In the words of UNHCR, today Turkey is the biggest refugee-hosting country in the world. Overall, Turkey hosts around 3 million Syrians and Iraqis within its borders. Apart from the generosity and hospitality offered by the Turkish society, the Government of Turkey provides shelter to these people in 26 camp sites, the conditions of which have received praise from the UN and visiting foreign politicians for their unsurpassed quality in comparison with similar establishments.

That’s also why this year’s program’s main focus is on humanitarian diplomacy and refugee crisis. You are going to have a round table discussion on this topic.

Dear Colleagues,

Current trends are indicating that in the near future, resource demands for energy, food and water, demographic patterns and global developments, such as climate change will require more international cooperation.

Therefore, the need to reform and democratize international governance mechanisms will increase as well.

In this new era, economic power and political influence have been shifting, particularly towards Asia, Latin America and Africa. No country in the world can remain indifferent to this transformation. This is especially true for the emerging economies, which are gaining stronger footholds in the international economy and politics.

As an emerging economy itself, Turkey has been extending its network of connections beyond its immediate region by building a web of mutually beneficial relationships in these vibrant geographies. Turkey took its place among the leading diplomatic powers with its 234 foreign missions all over the world. Turkey also has the honor to be one of the major donor countries with over 3.5 billion US dollars of development aid. As a result, Turkey’s presence is continually increasing across regions ranging from Africa to the Pacific, Latin America to Oceania.

In addition to the political, economic and investment aspects of our engagements with these regions, we also join in the regional cooperation schemes, either as an observer or as a dialogue partner.

In fact today, there is hardly any regional organization around the world that Turkey has not developed a substantive relationship, from ASEAN to African Union.

Turkey is active on many parts of the world. In less than a decade we almost tripled our trade volume with Africa, reaching 23,5 billion US dollars today. We set an ambitious target of increasing the trade volume to 100 billion US dollars in the next ten years.

Foreign Ministry is leading the effort by establishing diplomatic presence across the continent. The number of Turkish embassies in Africa has increased from 12 to 39 in the last five years.

Turkey’s interest in Africa goes well beyond its diplomatic and commercial dimensions. Turkish Airlines, for example, is flying to 49 different destinations in Africa, while Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency is carrying out projects in over 40 African countries.

Similarly, Turkey strives to strengthen its relations with countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

In that respect, today Turkey is able to call its bilateral relationships with China, Japan and Korea as “strategic”. We enjoy a privileged position of maintaining excellent relationships both with Pakistan and Afghanistan.

We have also enhanced our diplomatic presence in the region by opening up four new missions, in Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Brunei in the last three years. In foreseeable future, we are planning to open a new mission in Laos and with that we will have Embassies in all ASEAN countries. We are also developing our relations with the Pacific Island States.

Having completed a friendship and cooperation agreement with ASEAN in 2010, Turkey has become a “dialogue partner” with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, another vital regional body.

Similarly with Latin America and the Caribbean we have developed intensive relationships through trade and enhanced relations with regional institutions and organizations.

I touched upon the far away regions but naturally Turkey also continues to strengthen its already close relations in its vicinity with the Balkans, the Middle East and the Caucasus and Central Asia.

Turkey pursues these relations in tandem with its strategic relations with the European and Transatlantic political, economic and security structures.

In this regard, the EU membership remains a strategic goal for Turkey. We believe that Turkey’s EU membership will be mutually beneficial for both sides.

Once Turkey’s EU accession process is re-energized, this will create a positive synergy in a wide geography. Given the current volatility around us, from Ukraine to Syria, the importance of such a momentum needs no further explanation.

In matters of foreign and security policy, Turkey has always acted as a responsible part of the NATO alliance. Turkey’s indispensable and central role within the NATO has gained critical importance due to unprecedented scale and nature of new threats. Needless to say, Turkey is determined to conduct its policy in accordance with its rights and obligations, originating from the NATO membership, and to move in coordination with its allies, and expects the same approach from fellow members.

Along the same lines, Turkey’s multifaceted relationship with the United States is deepening by gaining new dimensions. Not only on regional matters but also on global issues, the two countries continue their close cooperation.

As a staunch supporter of multilateralism, Turkey’s profile has also been increasing in international organizations.

Turkey presided over the G-20 in 2015.

We will be hosting the first ever World Humanitarian Summit next month in Istanbul.

Dear colleagues,

During the fulfilling schedule of this program, in addition to the training part, you will have a chance to visit some of the most unique corners of our country and witness yourselves the treasures of ancient civilizations that transcend centuries. You will see Anatolian civilizations in Hattusa, visit Cappadocia and Istanbul in the cultural part of the program.

In the upcoming years you may meet each other again in multilateral organizations or in other destinations.

I do hope that you enjoy and benefit from this program and keep the friendships you will make here.

I would like to express once again my happiness to host you here today. And I would like to thank once more those who have prepared, who have contributed to and above all who have participated in this program.

Thank you.