Politics
Türkiye appoints new justice and interior ministers in cabinet reshuffle
Istanbul Chief Prosecutor Akın Gürlek was announced as Türkiye’s new justice minister and Erzurum Governor Mustafa Çiftçi was appointed to lead the Interior Ministry on Tuesday, following presidential decrees published in the Official Gazette.
Gürlek replaces Yılmaz Tunç, who stepped down after requesting to be relieved of his duties, while Çiftçi succeeds Ali Yerlikaya.
In a statement, Yerlikaya said he was handing the Interior Ministry portfolio to his “dear brother” Mustafa Çiftçi, thanking President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for the support he received during his tenure.
Outgoing Justice Minister Tunç also issued a statement, vowing to continue working “with the same enthusiasm as on the first day” for the nation’s future. He congratulated Gürlek on his appointment, wishing him “great success” in his new role.
Born in 1982 in Nevşehir, Gürlek graduated from Marmara University’s Faculty of Law in 2005. After serving as a judge in several provinces and districts, he was appointed head of the Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court. While in that post, he became deputy justice minister on June 1, 2022, and was later named Istanbul chief prosecutor on Oct. 2, 2024.
Çiftçi, born in 1970 in Konya, graduated from Ankara University’s Faculty of Political Science in 1995 and joined the Interior Ministry as a district governor candidate the following year. He served as district governor in several provinces, held senior roles within the ministry and later worked at the Turkish Parliament as chief of staff and senior adviser. Çiftçi completed multiple graduate degrees in public administration and theology, and was appointed governor of Çorum in 2018 before becoming governor of Erzurum in August 2023.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres discussed ongoing global developments over the phone, diplomatic sources said Tuesday.
During the call, developments related to the West Bank and Gaza and the ongoing talks between Iran and the U.S., as well as the latest situation regarding the Cyprus issue, were discussed, the sources said.
Blending diplomacy, humanitarian action and culture, Türkiye is positioning itself as a key global actor amid rising conflicts and uncertainty. Türkiye has intensified its use of humanitarian diplomacy to position itself as a global peace broker, delivering not only humanitarian and development assistance but also acting on moral and ethical principles across the world during crises, including Syria, Palestine and more.
Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet said Tuesday that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s official visit to the kingdom last week underscored the strong ties between the two countries, according to the Saudi Arabian government.
The Cabinet, meeting in the capital Riyadh, chaired by King Salman bin Abdulaziz, was briefed on talks held between Erdoğan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
The Cabinet said the visit highlighted the solid nature of bilateral ties and reflected the will to strengthen cooperation across various fields, saying this was concretely demonstrated through agreements and memorandums of understanding signed during the visit.
The Cabinet also authorized the energy minister to hold talks and sign framework and cooperation agreements with Türkiye and Jordan on the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
Erdoğan visited Saudi Arabia on Feb. 3 and later traveled to Egypt, during which agreements were signed with the two countries in various fields, particularly energy.
Deputy Foreign Minister Ambassador Musa Kulaklıkaya reaffirmed Ankara’s stance on Syria and its continued commitment to the fight against the Daesh terrorist group during the Global Coalition Against Daesh Political Directors’ Meeting in Riyadh, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.
In his address, Kulaklıkaya highlighted the importance of completing the cease-fire and integration process in Syria on the basis of the country’s territorial integrity and unity.
He emphasized that these steps should proceed in line with Türkiye’s national security priorities.
The official also stressed the need to recognize Syria, as a member of the coalition, as the sole legitimate actor in the fight against Daesh.
He said strengthening Syria’s counterterrorism capabilities remains essential for ensuring long-term stability and effectiveness in combating the terrorist group.
The deputy minister noted that a coordinated and inclusive approach within the framework of the coalition would contribute to lasting security outcomes in the region.
The Global Coalition Against Daesh brings together international partners to coordinate political, military and stabilization efforts aimed at countering the terrorist group.
Daesh remains the second biggest threat of terrorism for Türkiye, which faces security risks from multiple terrorist groups and was one of the first countries to declare it a terrorist group in 2013.
Earlier this month, Turkish security forces carried out operations simultaneously across nine provinces, identifying the suspects who allegedly provided financial support to the militant group, including some believed to be affiliated members.
Searches conducted at multiple locations led to the seizure of assets valued at approximately TL 1.82 million ($42,000), along with a hunting rifle, digital materials and documents, officials said.
Turkish authorities have ordered the freezing of millions of lira worth of assets since 2013 to crack down on terrorism financiers in line with United Nations sanctions.
Rapprochement between Türkiye and Greece, whose ties have been strained for decades, may have a long way to go, but high-level visits mark commitment to the process by Athens and Ankara.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will be a guest of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday. During his visit, the Türkiye-Greece High-Level Cooperation Council will hold its sixth meeting. The meeting will focus on economic, commercial, political and cultural relations between the two countries.
Ankara and Athens will weigh steps to increase foreign trade volume to $10 billion from around $6.7 billion in 2025, and exchange ideas on regional security, geopolitical developments and global issues. On the international side, the meeting is expected to discuss Türkiye’s contribution to NATO missions and the changing security priorities of Europe.
The “positive agenda” diplomacy between the two former foes and confidence-building measures will be the highlight of the talks. In addition, the two sides are expected to sign memoranda to deepen bilateral relations in the fields of commerce, economy, culture and education.
Türkiye prioritizes dialogue based on good neighborly ties and international law for resolving key disputes with Greece on Cyprus, the Aegean islands and rights on the Eastern Mediterranean.
Erdoğan visited Greece in late 2023 for the fifth edition of the meeting that will be held in Ankara on Wednesday. Among other issues, that visit focused on the improvement of the status of the Turkish minority in Greece and the Greek minority in Türkiye. Mitsotakis reciprocated with a visit to Türkiye in 2024. Also in 2024, the two countries agreed on implementing short-term visas for Turkish visitors to the Aegean islands, a significant step for rapprochement.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said in an annual press conference last month that improvement of Turkish-Greek relations is always possible, but Greek politicians have long utilized Türkiye for their own political career. Fidan has stated that both sides needed “only one step,” and they should not leave the table for discussion without resolving problems with good intentions and will. He said that they should primarily resolve the maritime border dispute and implement confidence-building measures. “The president’s will in this direction continues,” he said. “These problems can be solved.” Fidan has noted that the past two years saw a significant de-escalation of tensions, noting that dog fights of Turkish and Greek fighter jets decreased in the Aegean, and mechanisms between the two countries worked to an extent. “We also have cooperation on irregular migration and other matters. We hope we will not squander historic opportunities. I think this is possible,” he underlined.
Türkiye does not view Africa as a zone of competition or short-term geopolitical rivalry but as a continent of “equal partners,” Talha Köse, the head of the country’s National Intelligence Academy said Monday.
Speaking at the opening of a conference titled “Türkiye-Africa Strategic Dialogue” organized by the academy in Ankara, Köse said Western-centric academic and political approaches had long framed Africa through an Orientalist lens, overlooking the continent’s historical agency and capacity for self-transformation. He argued that modernization theories and liberal peace doctrines were often applied as universal models, disregarding Africa’s social and political realities.
“Today we understand much better how important it is to listen to Africa through Africans’ own voices and experiences,” Köse said.
Highlighting Africa’s young population, strategic location along global trade and energy routes, natural resources and growing production capacity, Köse said developments on the continent now affect not only Africa but also the Middle East, Europe, Asia and the wider world. He noted that major global powers, including the United States, China, Russia and European countries, have all updated their Africa strategies.
“Türkiye’s Africa perspective is shaped within this broader strategic landscape,” he said.
Köse highlighted that Türkiye’s Africa policy rests on four pillars: respect for sovereignty, humanitarian responsibility and sincerity, win-win cooperation, and long-term, sustainable partnerships. He added that Ankara supports “African solutions to African problems” and seeks stable, integrated partners across the continent.
The approach, Köse said, has been consistently pursued since Türkiye launched its Africa initiative in 2005, citing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s long-standing ties with African leaders as evidence.
Moreover, Somalia’s Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Hassan Moallin Muhamoud Sheikhali, also addressed the event, describing Türkiye as a reliable and stabilizing partner in the Horn of Africa.
“While some external actors undermine sovereignty and fuel division, Türkiye has consistently respected African unity and contributed to stability,” Sheikhali said.
He underlined that Africa is a young and dynamic continent with significant demographic momentum, rich natural resources and strong economic potential, while also occupying a key geopolitical position.
Describing the gathering as a valuable platform, Sheikhali said Türkiye and African countries aim to further deepen their relations on the basis of mutual respect, shared interests and collective responsibility.
The two-day program brought together experts, academics and senior officials from Türkiye and across Africa to examine the strategic dimensions of Türkiye-Africa relations, with discussions set to focus on regional security challenges, defense industry cooperation and the future of strategic partnerships. High-level participants attended from Somalia, Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Nigeria, Egypt, Chad, South Africa, Senegal and Gambia.
The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) marked its 57th anniversary on Monday in Ankara. The party’s leader, Devlet Bahçeli, hailed the long life of the party that evolved from a political movement founded by the late Alparslan Türkeş in the 1960s.
Bahçeli’s speech to the party’s supporters in the capital inevitably turned to the terror-free Türkiye initiative he championed for the disarmament of the terrorist group PKK. The veteran politician reiterated his commitment to the initiative and said that the party was willing to pay the price “to prevent this fight between brothers.”
The nationalist leader’s suggestion to get the PKK’s jailed leader, Abdullah Öcalan, to Parliament so that he could call upon the group to lay down arms in 2024 had stunned many accustomed to his strict discourse against the PKK. Though such attempts to disarm the PKK were not new, it was the first time that Bahçeli, a man known for suggesting death by hanging for Öcalan once, led the initiative. Some far-right groups have accused Bahçeli of betraying nationalism. Bahçeli dismissed these claims in his lengthy speech on Monday and said they were “as Turkist as we were in the past.” “We are questioned by political converts,” he lamented, referring to former members of the MHP, which is known for its steadfast support of counterterrorism operations to eradicate the terrorist group.
The PKK claims to fight for Kurdish rights, while Bahçeli advocated strengthening Turkish-Kurdish unity in Türkiye to end the scourge of terrorism. The terrorist group killed thousands across Türkiye since the 1980s to achieve its goal of a self-styled “Kurdistan.” In his speech on Monday, Bahçeli said they needed to “wake up the national conscience.” “This is what we are aiming for. You cannot divide us, Turks and Kurds will carry Türkiye to the future together,” he said. Bahçeli underlined that they rejected “racist nationalism based on blood ties and ancestry” and issued a stern warning to “anyone attempting to argue against the foundation principles of the Republic of Türkiye with the intent of destroying these principles through differences in ethnic roots.”
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