Turkish nominee Feridun Sinirlioglu outlines plan if elected UN chief

Türkiye's nominee for UN secretary general, Feridun Sinirlioglu, has pledged to help "build a more prosperous and just world for all" if chosen to lead the organisation.

"If selected, I would dedicate all my experience, energy, and commitment to ensuring that the United Nations remains faithful to the vision of its founders and fit for our common future, preventing conflict, advancing sustainable development, protecting human dignity, and helping to build a more prosperous and just world for all," Sinirlioglu said at an interactive dialogue with UN member states and civil society representatives as part of the selection process for the organisation's next leader.

He said his approach would be guided by "strict fidelity to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter," independence and impartiality, transparency and accountability, partnership with regional organisations, and "a commitment to inclusion, ensuring that all voices, especially those traditionally underrepresented, help shape global solutions."

Sinirlioglu, currently secretary general of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), said the world is living through "high geopolitical tensions, the highest in decades."

"The international system is unable to address or even agree on the threats to peace and security," he said, adding that economic inequalities are growing within and between countries and "global solidarity is fraying."

"Human rights are violated in plain sight and undermined by intolerable double standards," he said.

"I seek the office of the secretary-general not because I think that the UN is perfect, but because I firmly believe that it is indispensable," he said. "Once rules do not matter to some, they won’t matter to anyone, and that becomes a problem for everyone."

"The UN needs a secretary-general who is not only a chief administrator or the voice of the organisation, but also an active and experienced diplomatic mediator, prepared to go where peace is most needed," he added.

"Engaging with those with whom we disagree is not a concession, but a responsibility," he said.

Views on Palestine

Sinirlioglu outlined five priorities: preventing and resolving conflict; restoring confidence in multilateralism; preparing for emerging challenges; accelerating sustainable development and climate action; and protecting human rights.

He urged reform to make the UN "more agile, transparent, digitally capable, financially responsible and accountable."

"Taxpayers around the world need to see where their money goes, what projects it finances, and what impact it creates," he added.

Asked by a representative from the Arab Group if he will support the rights of the Palestinian people, Sinirlioglu said: "As secretary general, I would place this historic responsibility at the forefront of my political engagement."

"A just resolution of the Palestinian question is central not only to the Arab world, but also to the stability of global order," he said, pledging to work toward "a comprehensive political settlement based on a two-state solution."

"The immediate humanitarian situation, particularly in Gaza, must remain a central priority," he added.

On maritime security, including the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, he said: "Attacks against commercial vessels, threats to civilian seafarers, and unjustified restrictions on navigation are unacceptable, irrespective of their source or motivation."

"The secretary general should be the first one to arrive on the spot and be a trusted, honest broker," he said. "I believe I am the right person to lead this organization at a time of great geopolitical challenges."

TRT World and Agencies — TRT World and Agencies

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