Türkiye, MIKTA condemn false narratives targeting humanitarian workers
07:59, 23/09/2026, WednesdayU: Update: 08:17, 23/09/2026, Wednesday
AA
AA
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (2nd R) attends the 30th MIKTA (Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkiye, Australia) Foreign Ministers' Meeting on the margins of the UN's 81st General Assembly in New York, United States on September 21, 2026.The foreign ministers of Türkiye and other MIKTA nations warned that misinformation and disinformation pose grave risks to humanitarian personnel during armed conflicts and disasters, calling on all countries to protect aid workers from harmful narratives and information manipulation in the digital space.
The foreign ministers of Türkiye and other MIKTA countries condemned false and harmful narratives targeting humanitarian organizations on Friday, warning that such content threatens to incite violence against aid workers and obstruct life-saving operations during conflicts and disasters. The joint statement was published by the Turkish Foreign Ministry following the 30th MIKTA meeting, held on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York. The ministers expressed deep concern over the risks posed to humanitarian personnel and operations by misinformation during complex emergencies, noting that such content erodes trust in humanitarian assistance.
They said the rapid development of digital communications, social media and artificial intelligence has enabled harmful narratives to spread at an unprecedented speed and scale. The ministers condemned the creation, coordination and dissemination of false narratives that misrepresent humanitarian organizations and personnel, incite violence or discrimination against them, or obstruct humanitarian activities, stressing that such narratives can cause real-world harm.
Call for international protection
The ministers called on all countries to "urge all parties to armed conflicts and other relevant actors to respect and protect humanitarian personnel and operations, including in the information environment," according to the joint statement. Reaffirming their support for UN Security Council Resolution 2730 and the Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel, they underlined the need to combat misinformation, disinformation and hate speech targeting humanitarian organizations while countering the manipulation of information.
The ministers said they had made the protection of humanitarian personnel from harmful information a policy priority, highlighting that humanitarian workers save lives and calling for an end to misinformation targeting their work. They added that MIKTA members would continue working with the UN, humanitarian organizations, civil society groups and other relevant actors to advance efforts toward this goal.