African absence at UN Security Council is 'great injustice,' says Turkish president

By Gokhan Ergocun and Merve Aydogan

ISTANBUL (AA)- It is a "great injustice" that the African continent, with its population of 1.3 billion, is not represented at the UN Security Council, Turkey's president said on Saturday.

Referring to his slogan, "the world is bigger than five," protesting the unrepresentative setup of the UN Security Council, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey's efforts were also meant for its brothers and sisters in Africa, as well, in his speech at the third Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit in the Turkish metropolis Istanbul.

The three-day summit began on Thursday with a meeting of high-level government officials in Istanbul and continued with a meeting of foreign ministers Dec. 17.

Over 100 government ministers and 16 presidents from Africa are attending the summit which is being held under the theme, Enhanced Partnership for Common Development and Prosperity.

"I believe that we need to join forces so that Africa can be represented in the Security Council, as it deserves," he added.

Underlining that it was disgrace for humanity that only 6% of Africa's population has been vaccinated against COVID-19, Erdogan noted: "Turkey plans to send 15 million vaccine doses to Africa."

When Turkey's domestic vaccine candidate, which it named Turkovac, receives emergency use authorization, Ankara will put it to the service of all humanity, including Africa, he highlighted.

Noting that the volume of Turkey's trade with Africa surpassed $25.3 billion last year, Erdogan added that this figure had already reached $30 billion in the first 11 months of 2021.

He said Turkish companies in Africa were providing employment to approximately 25,000 people as the country’s contracting companies "have signed 1,686 projects with a total value of up to $78 billion across Africa."