‘Today, harsh reality we face on World Humanitarian Day is that over 300M people lack access to their most basic humanitarian needs. This is a truth that unsettles the conscience of humanity, urging entire world to act with responsibility,’ says Erdogan in opinion piece for Spanish daily
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan marked World Humanitarian Day on Tuesday with a special guest column outlining Türkiye’s humanitarian diplomacy and its steadfast alliance with Spain.
Published by Spanish daily El Pais, the column, titled Compassion Beyond Borders: The Alliance of Civilizations and Humanitarian Diplomacy, drew attention to global humanitarian crises, Türkiye’s mobilization to combat these issues, and its shared objectives with Spain.
“Today, the harsh reality we face on World Humanitarian Day is that over 300 million people lack access to their most basic humanitarian needs. This is a truth that unsettles the conscience of humanity, urging the entire world to act with responsibility,” wrote Erdogan.
Erdogan noted that Türkiye has so far provided “over 101,000 tons of humanitarian assistance to Gaza and has conducted a humanitarian mobilization valued at more than $40 million in support of UNRWA,” the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.
Stressing that humanitarian aid is the most advanced form of diplomacy, originating from a deep sense of empathy and humanity, Erdogan highlighted how Türkiye and Spain are united in dealing with humanitarian issues “as two friendly nations and steadfast allies.”
“The spirit of solidarity unites the two peoples in a profound bond that transcends geographical boundaries. It is our firm conviction that by collaborating in accordance with these shared principles, we will establish a fairer world focused on humanity and its values,” he wrote.
The Turkish president also praised Spain's sincere support for Türkiye’s EU accession process and on the 20th anniversary of the Alliance of Civilizations – a UN initiative co-signed by Erdogan and then-Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero – saying: “Our recognition of diversity as a source of richness rather than conflict offers a message of hope and solidarity to the oppressed people during this time of global crisis.”
