Politics
Türkiye aims to drive practical climate progress at COP31
The COP31 summit in Antalya this November offers a key chance for Türkiye to help turn global climate commitments into concrete projects and real-world action, officials said at a Zero Waste Foundation retreat.
Officials met with the Turkish delegation during a three-day preparatory retreat in Istanbul on Feb. 6-8, organized by the Zero Waste Foundation, to exchange views ahead of COP31. COP31 is this year’s most significant climate summit under the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change and will take place in Antalya on Türkiye’s Mediterranean coast under Türkiye’s presidency and hosting.
Chaired by Samed Ağırbaş, president of the Zero Waste Foundation and COP31 high-level climate champion, the meeting brought together senior advisers, members of the U.N. Zero Waste Advisory Board, and key COP31 stakeholders to chart a road map to the summit.
Lara van Druten, a member of the U.N. Zero Waste Advisory Board and CEO of the Netherlands-based Waste Transformers, Climate High-Level Champion Neil Khor, special advisor for cities and local governments to the COP31, and COP31 Climate High-Level Champion Marketing, Communications and Stakeholder Engagement special advisor Atif Ikram Butt spoke to Anadolu Agency (AA) about their expectations for COP31.
Druten said the retreat gathered diverse perspectives to help ensure COP31 is as effective as possible.
She underscored the link between zero waste and climate change, saying efforts were underway to ensure the issue features prominently on the COP31 agenda.
Highlighting emissions linked to food waste, Druten said at least one-third of all food produced globally is wasted while millions go hungry. Reforming food value chains, she added, could both reduce greenhouse gas emissions and align with COP31 priorities on waste, water and resource management.
Druten also said Ağırbaş’ efforts to unite stakeholders from the private sector and civil society would be among COP31’s key strengths.
Sharing her outlook on COP31’s potential contribution to climate action, Druten said: “There have been many COP summits over the years, and one of their main vulnerabilities has been the difficulty of translating discussions into concrete, scalable projects with meaningful impact, ensuring real change on the ground rather than just talking about it.”
Neil Khor, former chief of staff of U.N.-Habitat, said discussions during the retreat focused on aligning the foundation’s goals with the COP process and identifying ways to support Ağırbaş ahead of COP31.
Having closely followed the COP process during his tenure at U.N.-Habitat, Khor said, “The key element of the process is translating climate policy into action on the ground.”
He added that the foundation aims to collaborate with local stakeholders worldwide to implement climate commitments, with zero waste serving as a driver of both mitigation and adaptation efforts ahead of COP31.
“Antalya is a beautiful city and provides a strong setting to bring together stakeholders, drawing on Türkiye’s long history and tradition of hospitality,” Khor said, referring to the country’s role as host.
Khor noted that while COP summits address issues affecting millions, not everyone can travel to Türkiye. A digital platform to be launched by Ağırbaş, he said, will enable broader participation and allow individuals worldwide to make climate commitments as part of COP31.
He also said Türkiye and Australia were discussing COP31’s agenda, adding: “I think Türkiye has an opportunity in the area of zero waste to bring a new way of thinking, a new way of working that will not only look at the environment from the perspective of nature, but more importantly highlight the philosophy and teachings of first lady Emine Erdoğan, that this is about living and life.”
Bridging north and south
Khor urged cooperation and added: “No matter how strong, large or wealthy a country may be, it cannot tackle this challenge alone.”
Former chief of the Public Advocacy and Communication Section at the U.N. Environment Programme Atif Ikram Butt stressed the need for “the entire global community” to find “common ground and agree that this is the time to turn our commitments and promises into action.”
Saying the world is moving into the decisive implementation phase of the Paris Agreement, a critical period to deliver transformative outcomes and stay aligned with 2030 targets, Butt said, “Türkiye can play a bridging role between North and South at COP31 by bringing parties together to agree on a course to achieve the goals set in Paris.”
Butt added that the COP31 process offers Türkiye an opportunity to showcase its leadership in zero waste at the international level and contribute meaningfully to climate action, given Ağırbaş’s dual role as high-level climate champion and head of the Zero Waste Foundation.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Ünal Üstel in Ankara on Friday, the Foreign Ministry said, as the two sides held talks in the Turkish capital.
No further information on the meeting was immediately provided.
On Thursday, the TRNC said the EU’s appointment of a “representative” for Cyprus, at the request of the Greek Cypriot administration, carried no legitimacy.
The Foreign Ministry said the EU lost its impartiality on the Cyprus issue when it admitted the Greek Cypriot Administration as a member in 2004 while disregarding the will of the Turkish Cypriot people.
Last week, Üstel welcomed Fidan’s stance during his meeting with the UN secretary-general’s personal envoy on Cyprus, saying it reflected the shared position of Türkiye and the Turkish Cypriot people on the island’s future.
Üstel said Fidan’s remarks that “no approach that does not recognize the inherent rights of the Turkish Cypriot people, namely their sovereign equality and equal international status, will serve a solution” were important, adding that this approach reflected not only Türkiye’s unwavering position but also the unchanging will of the Turkish Cypriot people.
Recalling that the Turkish Cypriot people were equal founding partners of the 1960 Republic, Üstel stressed that no approach aimed at reducing Turkish Cypriots to minority status by ignoring this historical and legal reality would be accepted.
Erdal Beşikçioğlu, the mayor of Ankara’s Etimesgut district, was among 52 people detained on Thursday as part of an investigation into alleged corruption at the municipality. Three other suspects remain at large.
Other suspects include municipal staff as well as the owners and employees of several companies. They face charges of running a criminal network, bribery, embezzlement, rigging public tenders and abuse of public office.
Prosecutors opened an embezzlement investigation into the municipality in March after irregularities were found in its accounts, broadcaster NTV said.
Beşikçioğlu, 56, a veteran actor perhaps best known for his role as a police officer fighting corruption within law enforcement in a long-running TV series, was nominated by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) in the 2024 municipal elections. He won a landslide victory in the district, which had long been a stronghold of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).
CHP mayors have been the subject of corruption investigations in recent years. Investigations have alleged that mayors and other municipal officials accepted bribes from companies seeking to do business with municipalities or from contractors requesting building permits that would otherwise have been illegal. On Wednesday, Sinem Dedetaş, the CHP mayor of Istanbul’s Üsküdar district, was detained on similar charges along with a number of municipal staff.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun received a presidential welcome in Ankara on Thursday after arriving on a short-notice visit. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was scheduled to hold talks with Aoun and a joint news conference was scheduled following their meeting.
One day before his arrival, Aoun told Anadolu Agency (AA) that his country was counting on Türkiye for economic recovery and support for the framework agreement with Israel mediated by the U.S.
Türkiye and Lebanon maintain good relations, and Ankara has thrown its support behind Lebanon as Israel stepped up its attacks on the country.
This is Aoun’s first official visit to Türkiye since taking office in January 2025. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam visited the country earlier in July and met with Erdoğan.
Aoun told AA that Lebanese-Turkish relations have “the potential to move to advanced levels of cooperation.”
“Türkiye has a central position in the current regional scene, and coordination with it is a strategic necessity, not a temporary option,” he said.
Lebanon and Israel signed the U.S.-sponsored framework agreement on June 26. The deal provides for a gradual Israeli withdrawal from all occupied Lebanese territory in return for the deployment of the Lebanese army there, along with the disarmament of armed groups, including Hezbollah.
“Türkiye’s NATO membership and broad regional ties qualify it to play a supportive role in the international promotion of the framework formula and to encourage relevant parties to fully comply with its terms,” Aoun said.
“Türkiye can contribute to the success of this track, especially since the framework that emerged from negotiation rounds in Washington and Rome requires broad regional and international follow-up to ensure its implementation on the ground,” he added.
The Lebanese president stressed that Beirut is committed to implementing the framework agreement.
“But the success of this agreement depends on clear guarantees, foremost among them a full Israeli withdrawal that is simultaneous with the deployment of the Lebanese army, a permanent halt to violations and attacks in the south, and an effective international mechanism to verify both sides’ compliance, so that Lebanese commitments do not become a unilateral step in the absence of a corresponding Israeli move,” Aoun said.
“We call on Türkiye, given its regional weight and extensive relationships, to support this track politically and diplomatically in a way that strengthens its chances of success, prevents it from becoming an agreement with incomplete implementation, and contributes to Lebanon’s efforts to secure an Israeli withdrawal and reinforce international efforts aimed at preventing any security vacuum in the south, in line with our commitment to preserving stability in this sensitive area,” the president said.
Asked about Türkiye’s possible role in supporting Lebanon’s sovereignty and stability, Aoun said: “Ankara, as an active regional power, has real tools of influence and can contribute to supporting the Lebanese state and its legitimate institutions, foremost among them the army, in a way that strengthens the extension of state authority across all Lebanese territory.”
“Türkiye can also use its relations to help secure the eastern and northern borders and prevent arms smuggling or infiltration that threatens Lebanon’s security,” he said.
“We are not asking Türkiye for a role that replaces the Lebanese state, but for a supportive and complementary role that aligns with our efforts to place arms solely in the hands of legitimate state authorities and stabilize the country after years of war,” he added.
Aoun said Lebanon looks forward to strengthening cooperation with Türkiye in supporting state institutions, especially the army, while opening new avenues for cooperation on border security and combating the trafficking of illegal weapons.
On the economic front, Aoun said Lebanon is counting on Türkiye to contribute to the country’s economic recovery through investment, trade and reconstruction.
“This could be done by encouraging Turkish companies to make direct investments in Lebanon’s productive sectors, activating existing trade agreements, removing logistical obstacles to the exchange of goods in a way that eases the burden on Lebanon’s struggling economy, and benefiting from Türkiye’s extensive experience in reconstruction,” he said.
Türkiye’s Defense Ministry said Thursday that expanding defense and security cooperation with Iraq has become a key pillar of regional stability, highlighting recent bilateral agreements as Ankara continues to deepen coordination with Baghdad.
The remarks came during the Turkish Defense Ministry’s weekly press briefing, where ministry spokesperson Rear Adm. Zeki Aktürk outlined recent military developments and addressed regional security issues, including cooperation with Iraq, border security, counterterrorism operations and the conflicts in the Middle East.
During the briefing, the ministry said Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s recent visit to Türkiye and the agreements signed following talks hosted by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan marked another step toward strengthening bilateral security cooperation.
“The agreements are important for regional stability and security,” it noted, adding that cooperation between Türkiye and Iraq in recent years has become one of the key factors contributing to gains in the fight against terrorism.
The ministry said existing bilateral mechanisms continue to function effectively, with coordination on border security, counterterrorism and defense industry cooperation remaining a priority. It added that previous meetings between the two countries had resulted in agreements to expand cooperation in those areas.
While recent diplomatic contacts have increasingly focused on economic and energy cooperation, Aktürk said the security mechanisms established between Ankara and Baghdad continue to operate without interruption.
The ministry also pointed out that closer cooperation with Iraq is important not only for regional stability but also for the security and well-being of Iraq’s Turkmen population.
Israeli violence in region
Addressing developments in the Middle East, the ministry criticized Israel’s violation of the cease-fire agreements through military operations in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories.
The spokesperson said the humanitarian situation facing Palestinians had further deteriorated and called on Israeli officials to refrain from provocative statements and actions.
Israel’s activities involving holy sites in Jerusalem were also criticized, stressing their historical and legal status must be respected.
“The provocative initiatives targeting the holy sites in Jerusalem are unacceptable,” he said, urging Israel to comply with international law and cease-fire obligations and to abandon policies that undermine regional peace and stability.
Fight against terrorism
On counterterrorism operations, Aktürk said four members of the PKK terrorist group surrendered to Turkish security forces during the past week. Turkish forces also continued operations to detect and destroy mines, improvised explosive devices, caves and shelters used by terrorists in operational areas, he said.
Providing an update on border security, Aktürk also noted Turkish authorities detained 468 people attempting to cross the country’s borders illegally over the past week, including four individuals identified as members of terrorist groups. Another 1,102 people were prevented from crossing before reaching the border, he added.
Since the beginning of the year, authorities have detained 6,953 people attempting illegal border crossings and prevented 43,878 others from crossing, according to ministry figures.
Aktürk also outlined Defense Minister Yaşar Güler’s recent diplomatic engagements, including telephone calls with the defense ministers of Saudi Arabia and Niger, a meeting with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, talks with the British ambassador to Ankara, and scheduled meetings with Moldova’s deputy prime minister and defense minister.
Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş said Thursday that proposed legislation under the government’s “terror-free Türkiye” initiative would pave the way for “a new era of brotherhood,” while reiterating that the measure would not amount to a general amnesty.
Speaking at a ceremony at the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM), Kurtulmuş said the initiative had reached a critical stage following months of work by Parliament’s National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission, which brought together representatives from nearly all political parties.
“Our goal is to build a terror-free Türkiye,” Kurtulmuş said, describing terrorism as a decades-long burden that had cost the country thousands of lives and significant economic losses.
He said the proposed legislation would not constitute either a general or personal amnesty and would apply only after authorities verify that the terrorist group has laid down its arms, dissolved its organizational structure and permanently ended its activities.
“This law will by no means create a general amnesty in Türkiye,” Kurtulmuş underlined. “What matters is opening the doors to a new era.”
Implementation of the legislation will be conditional on the verification and confirmation that the terrorist group has laid down its arms. A commission will be established to oversee this process. Developments on the ground will be reported to Parliament every six months.
The legislation will apply to members of the terrorist group PKK who have laid down their arms and have not been involved in criminal acts, including those currently in prison or residing in European countries. Eligible individuals will be released under a three-year probation period. If they commit another offense during that period, they will be prosecuted under existing laws.
Senior leaders of the terrorist group, as well as members responsible for bombings, armed attacks, killings and other violent crimes, will be excluded from the legislation.
Kurtulmuş said the process had been carried out with great care and through cooperation among state institutions and political actors. He described the initiative as the result of what he called the convergence of “state wisdom and the nation’s collective conscience.”
He also said Türkiye had an opportunity to leave behind decades of violence and painful memories, arguing that the country was entering a new phase focused on national unity, democratic consensus and social cohesion.
“The doors to a new era will be opened with the adoption of this law,” Kurtulmuş said. “Türkiye will begin a completely new period of brotherhood.”
He added that strengthening national solidarity, democracy and social unity would reinforce Türkiye’s position and ensure that no external force would be able to hinder the country’s progress.
Türkiye should develop its own technopolitical doctrine that combines strategic capability, secure artificial intelligence design and public legitimacy as AI reshapes global power, according to a report published Friday by the National Intelligence Academy (MIA).
The report, titled “Technopolitical Order Debates in World Politics and Türkiye,” argues that artificial intelligence has evolved beyond a technological innovation into a strategic asset that influences state capacity, economic competitiveness, social trust and the balance of power in international politics.
The publication comes as governments around the world compete to secure leadership in AI, semiconductor production, critical minerals, energy resources and data infrastructure, areas increasingly viewed as central to national security and geopolitical influence.
In the report’s foreword, MIA President Prof. Dr. Talha Köse said future international competition would be shaped not only by AI technologies but also by advanced chips, critical minerals, energy supplies, data infrastructure and robotic systems that enable them.
Köse said debates over technology policy are becoming the defining framework for global politics, economics and society, adding that Türkiye must become an active participant in the emerging technological order to avoid strategic surprises and capitalize on new opportunities.
The report describes AI as one of the primary determinants of strategic capacity, arguing that competition now extends beyond technological superiority to include governments’ ability to make data-driven decisions, the growing influence of private technology companies over public life, the preservation of democratic legitimacy and the role of human agency in an increasingly automated environment.
Researchers identify three major schools of thought shaping the emerging technopolitical order.
The technorealist approach views AI primarily as a source of geopolitical and military advantage for states. The technopragmatist perspective emphasizes secure, reliable and governable AI systems. The technohumanist approach prioritizes human dignity, individual freedoms and social justice in technological development.
Rather than adopting a single framework, the report argues that Türkiye should combine the strengths of all three approaches to build a balanced and realistic national strategy.
According to the study, Türkiye already possesses several advantages, including experience gained through its defense industry, AI-assisted decision-making capabilities, operational expertise and accumulated data resources. Cooperation between public institutions and the private sector, along with a growing pool of qualified professionals, was also identified as a competitive asset.
At the same time, the report points to structural challenges, including fragmented data governance, inconsistent standards among institutions, uneven data quality and the need for greater transparency and accountability. It says technological capabilities should be reinforced through stronger institutional governance.
The report argues that Türkiye’s long-term position in the AI era will depend on developing an original technopolitical model that integrates strategic capacity, secure system design and social legitimacy within a single institutional framework.
It also warns that treating AI solely as an instrument of technological superiority could reinforce new forms of global hierarchy. Instead, the report says Türkiye’s civilizational heritage and human-centered approach could enable it to offer an alternative governance model while evolving from a country that primarily adopts AI technologies into one that shapes its own doctrine and governance framework.
Among its policy recommendations, the academy calls for strengthening Türkiye’s national AI infrastructure, improving data governance, expanding interdisciplinary education and increasing the country’s technopolitical diplomatic capacity. It also recommends adopting a risk-based AI governance model, establishing common standards across public institutions, reducing technological dependence on foreign suppliers, playing a more active role in international technology governance and transferring innovations developed in the defense sector into civilian applications.
The report concludes that the technopolitical transformation driven by artificial intelligence extends far beyond technological advancement, affecting national strategy, economic resilience, social structures and international influence. It says Türkiye’s long-term strategic interests will depend on becoming one of the countries helping shape the emerging global AI order rather than simply adapting to it.
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