Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Turkish PM Says Nations Must Assist Global Poor

The world can alleviate violent tensions and promote peace by addressing economic inequality, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a speech Sunday in O’Donovan Hall.

Erdogan emphasized the eradication of global poverty throughout the speech, saying that the large economic disparities between industrial and developing nations are a factor that drives the poor to violence.

“Poverty can make a person do anything,” he said, according to a translation of the speech broadcast live for the audience.

Erdogan said that he was encouraged to act during his trip to the Darfur region of Sudan, where he felt obligated by poor living conditions to oversee construction of a field hospital and a tent city, along with other planned improvements. He called on world leaders to divert some of the money spent on armaments, which he said amounts to $1 trillion per year, toward improving education and aiding the impoverished.

“We cannot have mankind separated into the winners and the losers. We will either all win or all lose,” he said.

Asked during the question-and-answer session what he has done to close the income gap in Turkey, Erdogan pointed to a law passed during his tenure that provides incentives to invest in Turkey’s 49 least-developed provinces. He also noted that Turkey’s economy has seen vast improvement over the past few years, with per capita income doubling to $5,000 and interest rates plummeting from 67 percent to 20 percent.

Erdogan said that different cultures should work to find common ground through dialogue and communication.

“Mankind is suffering greatly because of a lack of understanding and mutual respect,” he said. “What we first must do is get rid of our prejudice.”

Last year, Turkey and Spain co-sponsored the Alliance of Civilizations, a U.N. initiative that aims to improve intercultural understanding. The alliance is preparing an action plan, which it will present to the United Nations, detailing concrete steps the international community should take to promote unity.

“We should not see our differences as a shadow that looms over the future of our society,” he said.

Erdogan said the spread of democracy would fight poverty and reduce extremism in the Middle East. In a democracy, he said, if the government does not improve the economy, the voters will elect new leaders who may do a better job.

Erdogan also said that Turkey’s membership in the European Union would foster greater communication and understanding between Europe and the Middle East.

“Turkey is a true bridge between the East and the West,” he said. “Our membership in the European Union will contribute to an alliance of civilizations.”

He cited Turkey’s diplomatic assistance toward ending the violence between Israel and Lebanon this summer and its contribution of troops to the U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon as examples of Turkey’s commitment to bringing peace to the iddle East.

The speech was sponsored by the School of Foreign Service and the His Royal Highness Prince Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, in cooperation with the Turkish Embassy.

Donate to The Hoya

Your donation will support the student journalists of Georgetown University. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.

More to Discover
Donate to The Hoya