HH The Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani attended the opening of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2026 on Friday, following an invitation from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The event, held in the Turkish city of Antalya, brought together heads of state, government leaders, senior officials, and representatives of regional and international organisations.
The forum, held under the theme ‘Mapping Tomorrow, Managing Uncertainties’ and focusing on global challenges and evolving geopolitical risks, was also attended by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The three leaders held a joint meeting on the sidelines of the Forum, discussing the latest regional and international developments, particularly in the Middle East, as well as international efforts aimed at de-escalation and promoting diplomatic solutions to enhance security and stability.
HH The Amir and Erdogan commended Pakistan’s efforts at de-escalation and promised support for the Pakistani PM’s efforts thereon. The meeting also saw an exchange of viewpoints on key issues of common interest.
The three leaders emphasized the importance of continuing co-ordination regarding various challenges to contribute to consolidating security and stability at the regional and international levels.
Also attending the opening were Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and Chief of the Amiri Diwan HE Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Khulaifi.
Turkiye's diplomatic forum also brought together foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Egypt, as Islamabad steps up efforts to help end the Middle East war.
“I believe the window of opportunity opened by the ceasefire should be used in the most effective way to establish lasting peace,” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at the opening of the three-day forum.
“No matter how deep the disagreements may be, we must not allow words to be replaced again by weapons,” he said, adding that “the shortest cut to peace is constructive dialogue and diplomacy.”
Erdogan stressed the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation based on established rules and keeping the Strait of Hormuz open to commercial vessels.
He emphasized the need to effectively capitalise on the opportunity presented by the ceasefire between the US, Israel, and Iran to establish lasting peace. He welcomed this step, which he believes should be used to establish lasting peace in the region.
Iran announced hours earlier the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to navigation, a move welcomed by Washington and considered a step towards easing the escalating tensions in the region. More than 150 countries are taking part in the gathering, including more than 20 heads of state and government.
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