Türkiye’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mehmet Kemal Bozay has urged the United Nations to appoint a special envoy dedicated to addressing Islamophobia, citing a global surge in anti-Muslim hate speech and attacks.
Growing Threat of Islamophobia
Speaking at a high-level session of the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday, Bozay highlighted the alarming rise of racism, xenophobia, and discrimination targeting Muslim communities worldwide.
“Hardly a day passes without hostility against Muslims and violations of their fundamental rights, including attacks on their lives, mosques, and the Holy Quran,” Bozay warned.
While he acknowledged the significance of U.N. resolutions that classify the burning of holy books as acts of religious hatred, he emphasized that further action is necessary.
“A U.N. special envoy to combat Islamophobia should be appointed without delay,” Bozay stated.
Türkiye: EU Stalling Membership Due to Islamophobia
The discussion on Islamophobia comes amid Türkiye’s ongoing concerns over its EU accession process.
Earlier this week, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan attributed the stalling of Türkiye’s EU membership bid to “Islamophobic tendencies” within the bloc.
“Our EU membership process has been ongoing for decades. However, negotiations have recently stalled due to the EU’s identity politics and reluctance to accept a large Muslim-majority country. This reality is not openly stated, but it is the truth,” Fidan said.
BRICS as an Alternative to the EU?
As Türkiye faces roadblocks in its EU accession, Fidan underscored the growing influence of BRICS nations—a group comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—as an alternative cooperation platform in global diplomacy and economic partnerships.