Erdogan departs New York after concluding UN General Assembly visit

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan departed New York on Wednesday after concluding a four-day visit to the United Nations General Assembly, where he advocated for Palestinian statehood and announced that Türkiye will host the upcoming COP31 climate summit.

UN Address on Palestinian Statehood

Speaking before the assembly on Tuesday, Erdogan voiced strong solidarity with the Palestinian cause and pledged to champion their struggle on the world stage. "I wish to reiterate that even though Mr. Abbas cannot be present here in person, we will, just as we did last year, continue to serve as the voice of the free and sovereign State of Palestine and to proclaim the struggle of the Palestinian people to the world from this podium," he said, referring to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. He urged nations that have not yet recognized Palestine to reconsider their positions and extend diplomatic support.

Climate Summit and Bilateral Talks

On Wednesday, Erdogan addressed a high-level climate meeting convened by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, announcing that Türkiye will host the UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya from November 9-20. The president emphasized efforts to ensure the summit produces concrete actions rather than merely procedural outcomes. He also held bilateral talks with Vietnamese President To Lam, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss regional developments.

Outreach to Turkish Community

Erdogan engaged with Turkish citizens residing in the United States and met with members of the Turkish-American business community and think-tank representatives during the four-day visit. The president arrived in New York on Sunday alongside First Lady Emine Erdogan to participate in the 81st session of the General Assembly.