Türkiye intensified its mediation efforts in the outgoing year of 2023, during which its refreshed foreign policy witnessed several achievements, to global acclaim, in the first half, including for its part in helping mitigate regional tensions, as well as drive to mend relations with neighbors and rivals.

Ankara sought to extend the Black Sea grain initiative, grappled with Islamophobic and anti-Turkish attacks in Europe, and welcomed much-needed assistance from around the globe after deadly disasters this year.

Türkiye's foreign policy activity in the first half of 2023 kicked off with then-Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu's visit to Brazil on Jan. 2 to attend the swearing-in ceremony of President Lula da Silva. Çavuşoğlu later visited South Africa on Jan. 9-10, Zimbabwe on Jan. 11 and Rwanda on Jan. 12, focusing on bilateral relations and addressing the African food crisis.

Syria agenda

As in previous years, Syria was a top item in Ankara's agenda this year, as well. Çavuşoğlu spoke at a joint news conference in Ankara with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian on Jan. 17, emphasizing Türkiye's strong support for Syria's territorial integrity.

He highlighted ongoing efforts to ensure Syrians' safe and voluntary return to their homeland.

During his official visit to the U.S. from Jan. 17 to 20, the Turkish foreign minister reiterated Ankara's demand for F-16 fighter jets in a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Çavuşoğlu also expressed willingness to work with the U.S. to refocus on Syria but pointed out that Washington had not kept some of its promises to Türkiye, particularly the Manbij road map, which stipulates the withdrawal of the PKK terrorist group’s Syrian offshoot, the YPG, from the northern Syrian city it’s named after.

Continued U.S. support to the YPG in the region, where the terrorists regularly mount attacks on Turkish security posts and clash with local tribes, remained a roadblock in Turkish-U.S. ties in 2023.

Earthquake diplomacy

However, two earthquakes that leveled 11 provinces and claimed over 52,000 lives in Türkiye’s south on Feb. 6 made the biggest impact on Türkiye’s international relations.

Messages of condolences and solidarity poured in from around the world for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Çavuşoğlu and the Turkish nation.

After the catastrophe, foreign ministers from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Azerbaijan, Libya, Israel, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Armenia, Jordan and Costa Rica, as well as NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, paid solidarity visits to Türkiye.

Quran burnings

Official permission for some individuals to publicly burn the Quran in various European cities made headlines frequently throughout the year, starting in January, and became a top item for Turkish diplomacy.

Ankara strongly condemned the execution of such an act under police protection in Stockholm, Sweden's capital, on Jan. 21 and in the Danish capital of Copenhagen on Jan. 27.

Çavuşoğlu slammed Finland and Sweden, both of which were pursuing NATO membership at the time, during a news conference in Budapest on Jan. 31 following his meeting with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto.

As officials reiterated until and after Finland was admitted into the security bloc and Sweden’s application went to the Turkish Parliament later in the year, Çavuşoğlu emphasized the importance of addressing Ankara’s security concerns per a trilateral deal the sides inked in 2022 on taking action against members of terrorist organizations, namely the PKK and the Gülenist Terrorist Group (FETÖ).

Ankara was also wrestling with pressure from Western allies, especially Washington, on the issue.

G-20, U.N., OTS

On March 2, during the G-20 foreign ministers' meeting in the Indian capital, New Delhi, Çavuşoğlu called for comprehensive reforms within the U.N., emphasizing the need to strengthen regional representation in the U.N. Security Council, an issue that would later return as a more pressing crisis when the Gaza conflict broke out in October and the council failed to stop Israeli attacks.

Speaking at the 23rd Foreign Ministers Meeting of MIKTA (Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Türkiye and Australia), an inter-continental informal consultation and coordination platform, Çavuşoğlu outlined Türkiye's priorities during its MIKTA presidency as global health, effective migration management and food security.

On March 5, during the 5th U.N. Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) in Doha, Qatar, Çavuşoğlu reiterated Türkiye’s commitment to fulfilling responsibilities "as a longstanding supporter of the least developed countries."

While attending the Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting of the Turkic Council on March 16, the Turkish foreign minister remarked: "The Turkic Council was our collective dream. It has become a reality. We strengthen our institutional infrastructure every day and expand our cooperation into new areas."

The Turkic Council was renamed the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in 2021.

Normalization with Egypt

Early 2023 marked another thaw in Türkiye’s relations, this time with long-time rival Egypt.

After Çavuşoğlu met his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry in Mersin on Feb. 27, signaling a crucial step in normalizing long-strained ties, the Turkish diplomat met the gesture by visiting Egypt on March 18 for the first time in a decade.

"The intention is to elevate diplomatic relations to the highest level," Çavuşoğlu said during talks with senior Egyptian officials.

When the pair reunited in April, Çavuşoğlu expressed the intention to fill the new chapter in Türkiye-Egypt relations with joint projects and success stories, while the countries inked an agreement to take concrete steps for further development.

Damascus-Ankara line

In May, Çavuşoğlu met his Syrian, Russian and Iranian colleagues in Moscow for a landmark meeting where Russia and Iran sought to convince Ankara and the Assad regime to restore ties after relations soured in the wake of the 2011 unrest in Syria, which escalated into civil war.

In a statement, the sides reaffirmed their commitment to Syria's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the fight against terrorism, emphasizing the importance of increased international assistance for the voluntary, safe and dignified return of Syrians and post-conflict reconstruction.

Meanwhile, as attacks on the Quran and Turkish flag continued in Europe, the Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned yet another incident in Denmark. It urged "multilateral and bilateral efforts against such despicable attacks," citing them as concrete examples of the alarming rise in Islamophobia and xenophobia in Europe.

Evacuations from Sudan

The conflict in Sudan between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that erupted on April 15 became a focal point in Turkish foreign policy.

Türkiye closely monitored the process of achieving a lasting cease-fire, which resulted in the evacuation of numerous Turkish citizens from Sudan.

Meanwhile, unveiling the Nemesis monument in Yerevan, Armenia, on April 26 drew Türkiye's ire.

In a statement, Ankara strongly condemned the opening of the monument in Armenia dedicated to the perpetrators of assassinations against Ottoman political and military leaders and Azerbaijani officials.

Black Sea grain

Keeping the Black Sea Grain Initiative alive was a top priority for Ankara this year as Erdoğan and his government pursued intensive diplomacy to eliminate the risk of a "food crisis" due to the Russia-Ukraine war.

President Erdoğan announced on May 17 that the agreement had been extended for another two months, thanks to Ankara's efforts and contributions from Russia and Ukraine.

The deal collapsed later in the year with Moscow’s abrupt exit, but Türkiye is still striving to revive it.

New man in office

Notably, on June 5, days after the general elections in May, Çavuşoğlu, who had been foreign minister since Nov. 24, 2015, handed over the position to former National Intelligence Organization (MIT) chief Hakan Fidan.

Weeks after taking over the office, Fidan met with Blinken before the 2023 Ukraine Recovery Conference in London.

They discussed the situation in Ukraine, the Black Sea Grain Initiative, NATO expansion, Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization and bilateral relations.

The last key development of 2023’s first half was the 5th Strategic Mechanism Dialogue meeting on June 24, where Türkiye, Finland and Sweden addressed implementing their tripartite agreement.