Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran spoke at the opening of the 17th Al Jazeera Forum held in Doha, the capital of Qatar. Explaining that they came together in Doha to address one of the defining questions of the age, and that the theme of the Forum was “Regional Balance of Power in the Context of the Palestinian Cause and the Emergence of a Multipolar World”, Duran said, “This theme forces us to confront not only the devastating realities of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, but also the deeper transformation in the international system itself.” he said. Duran said, “For more than 20 years, we have been told that the world is in transition, that we are moving from one global order to another. Today, this narrative is no longer sufficient. The world is not only in transition, it has already completed the transition.” he said.

Emphasizing that they are experiencing the consequences of a historical rupture, Duran stated that the assumptions that once structured the post-war international system have collapsed, the norms determining the limits of acceptable behavior have weakened, epidemics have revealed the fragility of global governance, and genocide has returned to the center of international politics not as an exception but as a tolerated reality.

Duran pointed out that international institutions designed to prevent these tragedies have repeatedly and structurally failed in public, and emphasized that the international system is now characterized by fragmentation, competition and institutional fatigue, that great power competition increasingly dominates global agendas, and that uncertainty in this environment has now become a structural reality.

“WARS ARE NOW Waged THROUGH NARRATIVES, DIGITAL PLATFORMS AND PERCEPTION MANAGEMENT”

Noting that what fundamentally distinguishes this era is “the full integration of information warfare into the logic of conflict,” Duran said, “Wars are no longer limited to physical battlefields, but are waged through narratives, digital platforms and perception management.” expressed his opinion.

Duran stated that technology companies, platform owners and algorithm designers have emerged as powerful non-state actors that can shape political outcomes without democratic accountability and continued:

“Algorithmic control has introduced a new form of domination. It determines what is visible, what is trustworthy, and what disappears. At this point we must face a fundamental question: What principle can maintain order when hierarchy collapses, institutions weaken, and power fragments? The answer is justice. Not just as a moral aspiration, but as an organizing principle of political order. Justice produces legitimacy. Where justice exists, order is internalized rather than imposed.”

Emphasizing that justice cannot exist without truth and truth cannot survive without the conditions that protect it, Duran said, “Our region has a civilizational heritage that connects truth and justice. Our intellectual tradition, from Al-Farabi to Ibn Khaldun, teaches us that civilizations survive not with sovereignty, but with legitimacy, unity and moral purpose.” he said.

“REGIONAL PROBLEMS REQUIRE REGIONAL SOLUTIONS”

Director of Communications Duran pointed out that today the Middle East is experiencing multiple and overlapping crises and said that the center of gravity has changed and the impact is no longer measured only in military terms, but is “defined by economic capacity, diplomatic networks, reconstruction power and coalition-building ability.”

Duran stated that the boundaries between the fields of security and humanitarian aid have collapsed, and humanitarian crises no longer only accompany wars, but shape strategic outcomes.

On the other hand, Duran stated that even though regional actors now have unprecedented diplomatic and economic capacity, coordination remains the main challenge and said, “Without collective action, individual power cannot create permanent stability.” he said.

Duran explained that the aftermath of the war had become as strategic as the war itself and shared the following views:

“Gaza and Syria remind us that wars end not only with ceasefires, but also with governance arrangements, reconstruction frameworks and political means. At this critical turning point, Türkiye’s vision is based on the principle of regional ownership. This is a strategic framework that prioritizes local actors, operationalizes regional diplomacy and strengthens collective capacity. Regional problems require regional solutions.”

Stating that the region is currently at such a turning point, Duran said, “(The region) will either resolve its internal fractures through cooperation, justice and common responsibility, or it will turn inward, compete, fragment and export instability.” he said.

Duran said, “If regional actors cannot manage their own conflicts, they will not remain local, they will become the fuel of global anarchy.” He stated that in this sense, the region is no longer only affected by the crisis of the international system, but is in a position to alleviate or deepen this crisis.

⁠”OUR BASIC BELIEF IS THAT STABILITY CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED THROUGH INCLUSIVE COOPERATION, MUTUAL TRUST AND COLLECTIVE WISDOM”

Director of Communications Duran pointed out that the crises in the region have led to “an unprecedented wave of insecurity” and said, “This insecurity includes military conflicts, humanitarian disasters, economic pressure, information wars and political polarization. In Gaza, this wave of insecurity is seen in its most striking form: Mass destruction, deep trauma, genocide and humanitarian collapse.” he said.

In this context, Duran emphasized that regional and Gulf actors have decisive tools such as diplomatic influence, reconstruction capacity, mediation channels and consensus-building authority, and continued:

“We must unite around two absolutes and non-negotiables: ending this war and preventing all forms of displacement. Second, we must actively shape the ‘morning after’ by putting in place credible governance frameworks, rather than leaving a vacuum that destabilizing agendas can easily fill. Third, we must ensure that reconstruction is tightly linked to political viability, effective protection mechanisms and lasting stability.”

Duran stated that Türkiye has taken a series of concrete steps to ensure that the region contributes to global stability in the field of peace and security in this new era and invited all countries in the region to share this common responsibility. “Our fundamental belief is that stability can only be achieved through inclusive cooperation, mutual trust and collective wisdom. First of all, we have taken important initiatives to create the necessary mechanisms to resolve all disputes and disagreements in our region through dialogue and diplomacy.” he said.

Pointing to the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the relations between Somalia and Ethiopia, the Grain Corridor Agreement between Ukraine and Russia and the facilitating role of Türkiye in the latest Iran crisis, Duran said, “All examples show themselves in this initiative.” made his assessment.

“WE AIM TO CREATE OUR OWN KNOWLEDGE AND DIPLOMACY ECOSYSTEM WITH ALL THESE EFFORTS”

Duran said that Türkiye encourages the creation of an inclusive and sustainable regional security architecture at a time when the world is becoming increasingly complex, adding: “We believe that this architecture should not only produce solutions to intra-regional problems, but also create a common capacity against threats originating from outside the region.” he said.

Duran also stated that they are making continuous efforts for the recovery, reconstruction and restructuring of countries that have suffered deep destruction due to civil wars and said, “Ensuring Syria’s stability and strengthening its institutional capacity is at the center of these efforts. We believe that a similar approach should be applied to Yemen and Sudan if the hostilities end.” he said.

Duran noted that special importance was given to institutionalization in order for these initiatives to yield permanent and effective results, and that these efforts were continued through various initiatives and multilateral platforms, adding, “In addition, we contribute to the establishment of various cooperation mechanisms against the new wave of risks and insecurity emerging in our region.” he said.

Director of Communications Duran said, “With all these efforts, we aim to create our own knowledge and diplomacy ecosystem. We want this ecosystem to reflect the realities of our region, promote collective wisdom and contribute to the emergence of a more balanced global order.” made his assessment.

Duran emphasized that we will continue to work determinedly in bilateral and multilateral meetings and similar international forums in order to develop a common language for peace and stability.

⁠”OUR REGION MUST RECLAIM THE AUTHORITY OF ITS OWN STORY”

Stating that the region has been the subject of others’ narratives within the framework of “crisis, fear and orientalism” for a very long time, Duran said, “This period must end now. Narrative is power. What defines the meaning, shapes the order. Our region must regain the authorship of its own story, not to mythologize itself, but to express the mission of civilization with clarity and confidence at a time of global rupture.” he said.

Duran said that Türkiye, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, “A more just world is possible.” Pointing out that the call had deep repercussions, he said, “This is not just a statement of hope. This is a strategic horizon, a belief that justice must be built consciously.” made his assessment.

Emphasizing that the world is changing, Duran said, “Our responsibility before us is to ensure that the world changes in the right direction. This requires cross-border cooperation, resistance to algorithmic sovereignty, defense of truth, restoration of justice, and the courage to imagine a new global order based on dignity and legitimacy.” he said.

Duran said, “This is how truth turns into justice. This is how justice turns into order. And this is how a region that was once talked about becomes a region that speaks for itself.” expressed his views.

Thanking those who contributed and participants at the Forum, Duran said, “I hope that our discussions today will not only enrich our understanding, but also inspire collective action for a more just, peaceful and humane international order.” he said.