What are the Priorities for 2015 and Key Messages of G20 under the Turkish Presidency?

In 2015, G20 leaders' summit will be held in Antalya, Turkey. 

The summit will be held in Antalya on November 15-16, 2015. Global economy, strengthened growth and job creation will be taken up at the summit in Turkey. The 2015 G-20 Turkey summit will be the tenth meeting of the G-20 heads of government. Turkey will assume the presidency of the G-20 in 2015.

What is G20?

The Group of Twenty (also known as the G-20 or G20) is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors from 20 major economies. The members, shown highlighted on the map at right, include 19 individual countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States—along with the European Union (EU). 

The G-20 was founded in 1999 with the aim of studying, reviewing, and promoting high-level discussion of policy issues pertaining to the promotion of international financial stability. It seeks to address issues that go beyond the responsibilities of any one organization. Collectively, the G-20 economies account for around 85% of the gross world product (GWP), 80% of world trade (or, if excluding EU intra-trade, 75%), and two-thirds of the world population. The G-20 heads of government or heads of state have periodically conferred at summits since their initial meeting in 2008.

Priorities for 2015 

In 2015 under the Turkish Presidency, we will be building on previous Presidencies’ agenda and ensure a seamless continuity in the G20, while introducing new elements to ensure decisive collective action to provide inclusive and robust growth. 

Three pillars of the 2015 agenda will be: 

(1) Strengthening the Global Recovery and Lifting the Potential 

(2) Enhancing Resilience 

(3) Buttressing Sustainability

Energy Sustainability 

Today, there are over 1.3 billion people who do not have access to reliable energy. Considering the urgent need to take steps to tackle this global challenge, during our Presidency, we will emphasize the issues of energy access and energy investments. In this context, we will also study the reasons behind the high costs of renewable energy investment, and examine the deployment of public and private resources to fulfill the need for energy investments. Discussions on the G20 Principles on Energy Collaboration and rationalizing and phasing out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies will be continued. We note the importance of “G20 Energy Efficiency Action Plan” and will be monitoring its implementation. We also aim to improve Joint Organisations Data Initiative and follow up the implementation of price reporting agencies principles to improve energy market transparency. 

The Turkish Presidency kicked off on December 1st. Throughout the year, our Finance Ministers and Sherpas will meet four times at various venues. The Leaders’ Summit will be held in Antalya on November 15-16, 2015. In addition to the regular meetings of the G20, some other Ministerial meetings will be convened on selected topics throughout the year. 

For more info: 

https://g20.org.tr/

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Gül: We Expect the EU to Abide by the Pacta Sunt Servanda Principle

During the joint press conference he held along with President Sarkozy of France, President Gül averred: “Our expectation from the EU is that as part of the principle of the pacta sunt servanda, it must keep the promises it has given to us and that it must furnish an occasion for us to culminate the negotiations process with success.” 

President Abdullah Gül welcomed the French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, arriving in Turkey to pay a working visit, with a ceremony at the Çankaya Presidential Palace. The two presidents, after proceeding to hold a bilateral talk, attended the working luncheon. After the luncheon, the President said they had conducted fruitful bilateral and delegational talks.

President Gül, mentioning the 500-year history between the two countries, declared that Turkey cares deeply about its relations with France, underlining its resoluteness to develop and keep these relations strong.

A COUNTRY OF BOTH EUROPE AND THE MEDITERRANEAN

The President further informed the press, saying: “Mr. Sarkozy has paid this visit as the term chairman of the G-20. I shared my thought with him that we expect him to visit Turkey as President of France as well because no French President has done so since 1992. He, in return, evinced his wish to visit our country in this regard.” Turkey and France, he continued, are two countries of both Europe and the Mediterranean, sharing a number of common interests.

“WE EXPECT THAT NO HINDRANCE SHOULD BE LAID IN OUR WAY DURING OUR NEGOTIATION PROCESS”

Turkish-French relations date back to the alliance between Francis I and Sultan Süleyman the Magnificient and it will continue like this in the future, President Gül proclaimed. “Our bilateral trade volume has reached 12 million Euros. We are sure of the fact that our potential is much greater than this. There are some 2,000 French companies conducting business in Turkey. We believe we can boost our economic relations. We lend our support for the G-20 Summit to be held in Cannes, considering such issues as getting the world economic order back on track. As you know, Turkey launched its negotiation process to be a full member of the EU in 2004. 

Turkey has a state strategy in this regard. Our expectation from the EU is that as part of the principle of the pacta sunt servanda, it must keep the promises it has given to us and it must furnish an occasion for us to culminate the negotiations process with success. Some countries like France and Austria have already decided to hold referenda after this negotiation process ends. We will respect the outcome no matter what the results of these referenda may be. On the other hand, we expect the EU to help this process proceed in a healthily fashion, of which I have shared with Mr. Sarkozy and which is the expectation of the Turkish nation as well.”

Informing the press members that they had also tackled the recent events in the Middle East, President Gül reiterated Turkey’s wish that the region be provided with peace, that democracy, the rule of law, human rights and freedoms dominate the region and that this transition process for change end without entailing chaos.

As for President Sarkozy, he expressed his pleasure to be the first French President to visit to Turkey in 19 years. He also noted that he decided to pay this visit to Turkey as he is aware of Turkey’s role in the international arena and the importance of Turkey’s support for France during the latter’s term chairmanship of the G-20. President Sarkozy further promised to pay an official state visit to Turkey, responding to President Gül’s invitation.

STUDY SEMINAR IN TURKEY

The French President later revealed his hope that a study seminar on the regulation of the raw material prices could be held under the co-chair of Turkey and France in April in Turkey. He further advanced France’s full support for Turkey in the latter’s fight against terrorism.

SARKOZY: “WE WILL KEEP TEAMING UP WITH EACH OTHER”

They have one issue on which both Turkey and France do not agree, the French President noted. “We have discussed this very issue as statesmen as well and tried to understand each other’s bottom lines to find a path for the future. We agreed there should be an appropriate way, lest any hindrance is laid in front of the Turkish nation and lead to the destabilization of Europe. We can have different viewpoints; on the other hand, we have close and amicable relations. We will keep teaming up with each other and searching for ways for the best possible future.”

(Presidency Of The Republic Of Turkey)

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