Erdoğan Invites Prof Yunus to Turkey, Pledges Support

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Chief Adviser Prof Yunus

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan extended an invitation to Bangladesh's Chief Adviser, Prof Muhammad Yunus, to visit Turkey, offering full support for the nation's efforts to implement transformative reforms and build a prosperous future. The invitation came during a meeting at the COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Tuesday, where Prof Yunus also had the opportunity to meet Erdoğan and Turkish First Lady Emine Erdoğan.

During their meeting, Prof Yunus invited the Turkish leadership to visit Bangladesh soon, strengthening the diplomatic ties between the two nations.

Prof Yunus, a 2006 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, had a packed agenda at the COP29 summit, where he engaged with world leaders and key figures from international organizations. Over the course of the day, he met with at least 20 heads of state and government, including UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to thank him for the release of 57 Bangladeshi nationals detained for participating in protests in solidarity with students in July.

Among the notable leaders Prof Yunus met were Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, and Nepal’s President Ramchandra Paudel. Prof Yunus reiterated his long-standing call for the revival of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), emphasizing its potential as a vital platform for cooperation among the region's eight nations.

Additionally, Prof Yunus held discussions with the Prime Minister of Belgium, the President of Ghana, the Prime Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the President of Rwanda, the Prime Minister of Albania, the President of Montenegro, the Prime Minister of Barbados, as well as the Vice Presidents of Brazil and Iran. He also met with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and the Director-General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Prof Yunus’ extensive diplomatic outreach at the COP29 summit underscores his continued commitment to global cooperation and his vision for South Asia's development and prosperity.