Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,

Türkiye is pleased to co-sponsor this event along with Bangladesh, Canada, Saudi Arabia and the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect.

I want to thank President Bozkır and H.E. Abdul Momen, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh for being with us today and delivering their insightful remarks.

Our discussions today have two dimensions.

The first one is the alarming situation in Myanmar after the military coup of 1st February.

The other one is the implications of this military coup for the Rohingya people.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Türkiye’s stance on the military coup has been very clear from the beginning. We have condemned strongly both the coup and the ensuing use of excessive violence against civilians.

We have also been calling for the immediate cessation of the brutal aggression against peaceful protesters, immediate release of all those detained, and restoration of democracy without delay.

However, we sadly see that the escalation of the crisis by violent suppression of protests is leading the country to the brink of collapse.

The current events have made the already dire humanitarian situation of refugees and internally displaced persons even worse.

This poses a grave risk not only for the future of Myanmar people, including all ethnic and religious minorities, but also for regional security.

We are seriously concerned that the current developments also hamper the voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return of Rohingyas from Bangladesh to Myanmar.

I would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation once again to the Government of Bangladesh for opening its doors to these innocent civilians and hosting them for almost four years now.

As the representative of a country that hosts the world’s largest refugee population, I fully acknowledge the immense challenges faced by this country.

Bangladesh has indeed displayed an exemplary humanitarian approach towards more than a million refugees. We believe that the international community should do more to share the remarkable burden undertaken by Bangladesh.

On our side, we have been doing our utmost to help alleviate the immense suffering of the Rohingya people. Official aid agencies and several NGOs from Türkiye have been conducting humanitarian activities in Cox’s Bazaar, ranging from nutrition and health to education and sheltering, in cooperation with the Government of Bangladesh and relevant UN agencies.

Our aid projects since 2012 have amounted to over 70 million Dollars and Türkiye has been operating the only field hospital in sector 9 of the refugee camp in Cox's Bazaar.

Unfortunately, after the February 1st military takeover in Myanmar, the conditions in the Rakhine State have become even less conducive to the repatriation of the Rohingya.

Although the fighting in the Rakhine State between the Myanmar Army and the Arakan Army has relatively subsided, the situation continues to be fragile. The Rohingya are increasingly vulnerable to the uncertain conditions that arose after the coup d’état.

International community should continue its efforts to find a lasting solution to the Rohingya crisis, which entails voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return of all Rohingya refugees to their homeland.

We expect Myanmar military to continue working with UN institutions towards creating conducive conditions for their return.

The continuing impunity should be addressed not only for the delivery of justice but also for preventing the recurrence of such crimes in the future. International community must be clear that accountability for previous and current crimes in Myanmar will not go unpunished.

We should insist on our calls on Myanmar to fully comply with the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice in January 2020 and to fully cooperate with the Independent Investigation Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM).

We urge Myanmar to fully comply with the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice in January 2020, as the first international court ruling against Myanmar since the atrocities have started.

It is a strong ruling and has given hope to Rohingya Muslims around the world.

In that regard, it is essential that the conditions on the ground in the Rakhine State and in the country in general, be stabilized as soon as possible.

The international community should send clear and strong messages to the Myanmar military to stop the violence and to respect democratic processes. In this context, the Security Council’s attention to the matter and the Council’s speaking in one voice are welcome developments.

We support the efforts of the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar and call on the military authorities to allow the Special Envoy without delay to visit the country and assess the situation first-hand.

ASEAN’s continued engagement with all relevant parties in Myanmar has a significant role in bringing an end to the crisis. The announcement of the Five-Point Consensus is a welcome development and the international community looks forward to their implementation, first and foremost by the Myanmar military.

Türkiye, on its part, supported and led initiatives aimed at keeping Myanmar high on the international agenda and taking a firmer stance against the military coup and the continuing violence by security forces, both in New York and in Geneva.

Lastly, together with a cross-regional group of countries, we are working towards tabling a General Assembly resolution on the situation in Myanmar. We hope that the resolution will be adopted by consensus or with the broadest possible support so that it conveys to the Myanmar military the strong and united message that it needs to change course.

The gravity and urgency of the situation in Myanmar requires a collective response where the UN, regional organizations and all key players act together decisively. We remain committed to support all efforts towards a return to democracy and the rule of law in Myanmar and finding an enduring solution to the Rohingya crisis.

Thank you.