Global leaders and diplomats have gathered in southern Türkiye for the fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum, focusing on uncertainty, conflict and the future of global cooperation.
The opening day has been busy, with high-level discussions and a packed schedule of speakers. The forum is being held under the theme “Mapping Tomorrow, Managing Uncertainties”, reflecting growing global instability.
Among those attending are Ilham Aliyev, senior officials from across Europe, Asia and Africa, and Ukraine’s foreign minister.
The event was formally opened by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The discussions come at a tense time globally. Delegates are holding talks on the sidelines about the ongoing tensions involving the U.S., Israel and Iran, which began earlier this year.
Speakers have stressed the need to prepare for an uncertain future, with many pointing to rising tensions and weakening global cooperation.
The forum has quickly become a space where leaders can speak openly and exchange ideas face-to-face.
One of the key discussions on the first day centred on how regions can take greater control of their own challenges.
The panel, moderated by broadcaster Adnan Nawaz, brought together several senior figures, including the presidents of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi, as well as Türkiye’s vice-president and El Salvador’s vice-president.
They agreed that as global systems become more fragmented, regional cooperation is becoming increasingly important.
Speaking at the forum, Presidential Assistant Hikmet Hajiyev outlined Azerbaijan’s view on regional responsibility.
“The fundamental principles and core pillars of regional ownership for Azerbaijan mean addressing regional challenges and problems ourselves, together with our like-minded partners in the region. First and foremost, we must establish our own order rather than waiting for others to come and fulfil missions in our region. This is one of the fundamental issues,” he said.
He added, “For us, regional ownership also consists of core principles. One of these is a genuine common responsibility for regional issues. To this, regional leadership must be added.”
Hajiyev highlighted the importance of cooperation, particularly between Türkiye and Azerbaijan, calling it a key part of regional peace and stability.
“Türkiye-Azerbaijan cooperation rose to the level of an alliance with the 'Shusha Declaration' signed by our leaders,” he said, adding that this partnership has expanded into wider regional formats involving countries such as Georgia and Iran.
Speaking to AnewZ's Katie Wilson, Hajiyev also pointed to a broader shift in Azerbaijan’s priorities.
“Today, Azerbaijan's agenda is completely about peace, and it's also regional ownership and regional responsibility and regional integration and cooperation that Azerbaijan tries to deliver and to shape our region in a peaceful manner.”
He stressed that the country is not waiting for outside solutions, but instead using its own understanding of the region to shape outcomes.
Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz echoed similar views, stressing the importance of dialogue over conflict.
“Türkiye prefers diplomacy over conflict, and stability over insecurity,” he said.
He added that wars benefit no one, while peace brings shared gains. Türkiye, he said, will continue to build ties across different regions and keep communication channels open.
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Antalya is set to become the centre of global diplomacy this week as it hosts the fifth edition of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF), a major international gathering that brings together leaders, policymakers and thinkers from across the world.
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