Turkic Council To Donate 2.5 Million COVID-19 Vaccines To Africa

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (Wikimedia Commons/World Economic Forum/Andy Mettler)

JAKARTA - The Turkic Council, which consists of five member countries and two observer countries, will donate 2.5 million doses of coronavirus vaccine to Africa, including 2 million from Turkey, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, together with other Turkic Council leaders, held a press conference on the Island of Democracy and Freedom in Istanbul.

The Turkic Council currently consists of Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, with the two observer countries being Hungary and Turkmenistan.

In his speech, President Erdogan said during the meeting, the leaders emphasized their intention to act together against climate change and crises such as the coronavirus pandemic.

"We are once again documenting our determination to continue our fight against all forms of terrorism, extremism, racism and Islamophobia," President Erdogan said, citing Yenisafak November 13.

He stressed that by sharing the opportunities of the pandemic, the council is showing once again that they are one and together as the Turkic Council.

"The Turkestan region, the cradle of civilization, will once again become a center of attraction and enlightenment for all mankind," President Erdogan continued.

During the summit, the leaders received Turkey's 2040 World Vision Document, which outlines perspectives on the future of the organization, Erdogan explained, adding the meeting should be considered a new sign of eternal brotherhood in the Turkish world.

"No one should be disturbed by the Turkish Council, and, on the contrary, should try to be a part of this unique structure based on ancient history and human relations," he underlined.

Earlier, President Erdogan had met with the heads of member states at the Turkic Council secretariat in the historical district of Sultanahmet ahead of the summit.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev attended the ceremony, along with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, and Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

Also present was Prime Minister Viktor Orban representing Hungary as an observer state, as Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov did for the first time. In addition, Secretary General of the Turkish Council Baghdad Amreyev was also present at the event.

To note, the Turkic Council was formed in 2009 to promote cooperation among Turkic-speaking countries.