Antalya: The opening ceremony of the 5th Antalya Diplomacy Forum was held in the Turkish city of Antalya on April 17. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended the event. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Trkiye Hakan Fidan delivered the opening speech at the ceremony.

According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, President of the Republic of Trkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan then addressed the event. In his speech, President Erdogan highlighted that the ongoing normalization process between Trkiye and Armenia is being carried out in coordination with Azerbaijan. He also spoke on the development of the Organization of Turkic States and announced that Trkiye will take over the chairmanship from Azerbaijan during the 13th Summit of the Turkic World later this year. President Erdogan emphasized Trkiye's commitment to increasing the international activity and influence of the organization and expressed strong support for the East-West Middle Corridor initiative.

The forum, themed 'Mapping Tomorrow, Managing Uncertainties,' addresses the challenges of geopolitical tensions, shifting power balances, and rising trade barriers. It aims to anticipate and manage emerging issues, emphasizing the need to identify risks and opportunities and develop strategies for a better future.

This year's forum gathers over 500 high-level participants, including 22 heads of state and government, 14 deputy heads of state and government, and more than 50 ministers from over 150 countries. Additionally, 75 representatives of international organizations are participating. More than 40 events and sessions, including panel discussions with leaders, are planned as part of the forum.