Erdoğan’s COP31 diplomacy agenda spans climate, wars and cooperation

By Ahmet Taş | Wise News Press

ANTALYA, TÜRKİYE — President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held six meetings during COP31 in Antalya, addressing climate negotiations alongside the war in Ukraine, Gaza, Iran-US tensions, energy and bilateral cooperation.

Erdoğan met UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday, November 10.

The Turkish president also met Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, National Leader of the Turkmen people and Chairman of Turkmenistan’s People’s Council, and received Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud.

According to the official UNFCCC program, the COP31 Antalya Leaders’ Summit is scheduled to open on Wednesday, November 11. The bilateral meetings took place a day earlier as leaders and senior representatives arrived in Antalya.

Details of the meetings are based on statements issued by Türkiye’s Directorate of Communications. Not all participants released separate and detailed accounts of their discussions.

Wars and regional crises discussed with Guterres

Erdoğan’s meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres covered COP31 preparations and a range of regional and international developments.

According to the Directorate of Communications, Erdoğan said Türkiye welcomed the responsibility of holding the COP31 presidency and had completed preparations for the conference.

He expressed hope that the Antalya gathering would create a new starting point for addressing climate-related problems and turning previously adopted commitments into practical measures.

Erdoğan said Türkiye was working with regional countries to reduce rising tensions between Iran and the United States and to support a diplomatic resolution to their disagreements.

He also said Ankara was working to help end the Russia-Ukraine war and remained ready to support a new dialogue process between the parties.

The two officials discussed developments in Gaza, Cyprus and Libya. The Turkish statement did not announce a new agreement, mediation format or diplomatic timetable for those issues.

Erdoğan and Guterres are also scheduled to address the opening of the COP31 Leaders’ Summit on November 11.

Brazil talks focused on moving from decisions to implementation

Erdoğan and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva discussed bilateral relations, regional and international developments, and the transition from Brazil’s COP30 presidency to Türkiye’s COP31 leadership.

Erdoğan noted that Türkiye and Brazil would mark the centenary of their diplomatic relations next year. He said the two countries intended to expand cooperation in trade, the defence industry and other fields.

The Turkish president said both governments had adopted approaches that placed peace at the forefront of international affairs and argued that bilateral solidarity should continue.

Erdoğan said Türkiye aimed to build on the progress made under Brazil’s COP30 presidency. He described COP31 as a conference focused on implementing decisions already taken during previous climate negotiations.

The objective, according to Erdoğan, is for the Antalya conference to move beyond announcing new commitments and concentrate on converting existing decisions into investments and projects.

Erdoğan also congratulated Lula da Silva on his electoral success. No new bilateral agreement or joint declaration was announced after the meeting.

Ethiopia congratulated on hosting COP32

Erdoğan’s meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali covered Türkiye-Ethiopia relations and regional developments.

The Directorate of Communications said Erdoğan expressed a desire to continue advancing cooperation in a range of areas, particularly trade and investment.

He also said Türkiye would maintain its support for peace and stability in Ethiopia’s region.

Erdoğan congratulated the Ethiopian prime minister because Ethiopia is expected to host COP32 after Türkiye’s COP31 presidency.

The transition from COP31 to COP32 is expected to include discussions on climate finance, adaptation measures, resilient infrastructure and the implementation of commitments affecting developing countries.

The official statement did not announce a new trade target, investment package or agreement between Türkiye and Ethiopia.

Bangladesh meeting addressed Cox’s Bazar and climate resilience

Erdoğan and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman discussed bilateral relations, regional issues and the severe effects of climate change on Bangladesh.

Erdoğan said the two countries would benefit from taking further steps to expand cooperation, particularly in trade and the defence industry.

He said Türkiye would continue working to keep the humanitarian situation in Cox’s Bazar on the international agenda. The area hosts a large population of Rohingya refugees who were forced to leave Myanmar.

Erdoğan also referred to Bangladesh’s need for projects covering flood management and climate-resilient infrastructure.

He said those needs formed part of the COP31 agenda and expressed hope that Türkiye’s proposed “Climate Implementation Bridge” initiative would contribute to practical solutions.

The official statement did not provide details about the initiative’s funding, timetable or specific projects planned for Bangladesh.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Presidential Chief Adviser on Foreign Policy and Security Akif Çağatay Kılıç also attended the meeting.

Energy, trade and Turkic cooperation discussed with Turkmenistan

Erdoğan met Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov during a dinner held on the sidelines of COP31.

The meeting covered Türkiye-Turkmenistan relations as well as regional and global developments.

Erdoğan said the two countries should intensify cooperation in energy, trade, the defence industry and investment to raise bilateral relations to a higher level.

He also highlighted the growing role of the Organization of Turkic States and said its strategic importance had again been demonstrated at the Ankara summit.

Erdoğan expressed Türkiye’s hope that Turkmenistan, which currently holds observer status, would join the organization as a full member.

The official statement did not announce a change in Turkmenistan’s membership status. Erdoğan’s remarks therefore represented a Turkish diplomatic invitation rather than a completed accession decision.

No new investment value, energy project or defence agreement was announced following the meeting.

Energy agreement signed during Saudi meeting

Erdoğan also received Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud during COP31.

The Directorate of Communications said an agreement between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia was signed during the meeting. Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar signed the document on behalf of Türkiye.

The official statement did not disclose the agreement’s name, financial value, duration or specific scope.

It therefore remains unclear from the published information whether the agreement relates to renewable energy, electricity, oil, natural gas, mining or another area of energy cooperation.

Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and other Turkish officials attended the meeting.

Erdoğan’s meetings demonstrated how COP31 is being used not only as a venue for climate negotiations but also as a platform for diplomacy concerning wars, regional disputes, energy and economic cooperation.

During the November 11-12 section of the Antalya Leaders’ Summit, heads of state and government are expected to deliver national statements and continue talks on climate finance, the energy transition, adaptation policies and implementation of previous conference decisions.

The outcome will depend on whether participants can convert political declarations into measurable commitments, funding arrangements and projects that can be monitored after the conference.

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