To commemorate the 10th year of the partnership between Sabancı University and Brookings Institution, the 10th lecture was given by former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who had also given the inaugural lecture in 2005.
The title of the lecture was “Turkey and the Transformation of the Global Political and Economic Landscape”
The tenth “Sakıp Sabancı Lecture” was held by Sabancı University in partnership with Brookings Institution. Held annually in memory of the late Sakıp Sabancı, the Honorary Chairman of Sabancı University, this year’s lecture was given by former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
The tenth annual Sakıp Sabancı Lecture was held on Thursday, May 1, 2014 in Washington, D.C. with the partnership of Sabancı University and Brookings Institution, featuring former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who spoke on “Turkey and the Transformation of the Global Political and Economic Landscape.” Albright had given a lecture on the tenth anniversary of the passing of Sakıp Sabancı, and was the speaker of the inaugural Sakıp Sabancı Lecture in 2005.
The lecture in Washington was screened live in the Sakıp Sabancı Museum in Emirgan, Istanbul by videoconference. Prior to Madeleine Albright’s lecture, Sabancı University Board of Trustees Chair Güler Sabancı gave introductory remarks. Güler Sabancı discussed increasing global challenges, saying that the rise in challenges also led to a rise in opportunities. Sabancı said, “We continue to feel the impact of the 2008 financial crisis and the Arab Spring. The tension between Russia and Ukraine will certainly have extensive implications. This is a time when we must rethink the concepts of security, stability, cooperation and development. We must also consider climate change, and shortages of food, water and energy.” Sabancı noted that Turkey achieved impressive growth during these challenging times, and that economic growth contributed to internal political stability.
Sabancı University Board of Trustees Chair Güler Sabancı explained that Turkey remained on the path to the European Union despite all domestic and international challenges, and that she viewed accession to the Union as a strong anchor for continuing internal reforms and achieving development.
Güler Sabancı argued that current challenges faced by developing countries like Turkey also improved their chances of taking part in global governance, and concluded by saying: “It is now time to become a part of the international order by understanding these challenges and finding out the best way to deal with them. As Winston Churchill once said, the empires of the future will be based on the ideas of people. Human development will become extremely important. We hope that we are able to serve this purpose with the Sakıp Sabancı Lectures. It is a great pleasure that, with the lecture of Secretary Albright today, the event will have reached its 10th year milestone.”
In her lecture titled “Turkey and the Transformation of the Global Political and Economic Landscape,” Albright discussed two strategic issued between the United States and Turkey, namely energy and democracy. Explaining why she chose these two issues, Albright said that energy security was, and will continue to be, important for the role of Turkey in the region, and that the reinforcement of democratic institutions will have ramifications on the domestic and international efforts of Turkey.
“Location, location, location… Turkey has an impressive one.”
Madeleine Albright said that while Turkey imported 75% of its energy demand, the country had a very important geostrategic location, continuing, “Turkey is not only at the crossroads of continents, but also at the crossroads of energy resources.” Albright said that the shortest route for the European markets that are after these resources was through Turkey, and argued that an energy-based partnership would draw Turkey closer to the EU since European countries were interested in diversifying their sources of energy.
Albright said that Europe, the United States and Turkey had common interests in energy, adding “It is extremely important that these resources reach Turkey and are connected to international markets. The more oil and gas is transported through pipelines, the more development will be achieved. Achieving this flow also requires achieving confidence and security.”
“I have been closely monitoring Turkey’s democracy for a long time.”
On the issue of democracy, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said that she had been closely following Turkey’s democracy for a long time. Commenting on the important developments in Turkey regarding the democratic setting, Albright highlighted the stability brought by the election of the same administration three times, and the evolution of the Kurdish issue into a matter of general discussion.
Speaking on the democratic reforms passed by the Parliament last month, Albright said, “Despite its shortcomings, the reform has elements that will enable the participation of more parties in the Turkish parliament. Other important issues are the freedom to make political campaigns in any language and the reduction of the thresholds that allow minority political parties to receive funding.”
Albright said that the democratically-elected administration had a good record of keeping its election promises, and that the Turkish people saw improvements in many aspects of their lives during the last decade. Albright continued that the economic reforms maintained by the government helped to increase GDP from $ 231 billion to $ 800 billion, improve exports and foreign trade, and reduce inflation rates.
Commenting on the role played by Turkey among nations during the decade, Albright gave the examples of temporary membership to the UN Security Council and the hosting of the G-20 summit next year.
Albright also mentioned infrastructure improvements in large cities, the full utilization of the internet across Turkey, better accessibility of medical services for more citizens, and the 28% increase in the number of people covered by social security in the last 6 years, but said that these alone were not enough.
Albright said that democracy was a journey and there were many more steps to be taken, and continued, “While the United States may be the oldest modern democracy in the world, we too know that we have to make an effort for even further democratization. People in Turkey should be proud of what has been achieved for their democracy until now, and must also know that the journey has to continue. It is equally important for the political leaders of the country to continue this process.” Albright said that the US would be in full support of Turkey on its path to deepening its democratic roots.
Albright said that debates on modern technology versus cultural traditions, religion versus governance, national sovereignty versus globalization, and the role of the individual versus the role of the state, and that different opinions had a tendency to travel to opposing extremes. Albright argued that Turkey needed to establish a culture of mutual discussion and understanding based on openness and tolerance for each other, saying “All leaders must listen to everyone, including those who do not vote for them.” Former Secretary of State said that this was the foundation of the democratic structure, and democracy did not consist of elections alone.
Madeleine Albright stressed the need for effective opposition, free flow of information, and checks and balances within the system, which would at the same time ensure the protection of minority rights.
Former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright explained that the presence of opposition is a vital element of a proper democracy, adding: “There is no such thing as a single-party democracy. Citizens have a true choice when there is effective opposition, and only when there is a choice can the winner of an election claim that the people have spoken. At this stage, all groups in the Turkish society must have choices that adequately represent them, and this requires open discussion and freedom of speech and convention. There are issues in this matter.”
“Access to mass communication is not enough; freedom of expression is a must.”
Discussing freedom of press in Turkey, Albright said, “According to the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index 2013, Turkey ranks 154th in freedom of press. Furthermore, the latest freedom of press report by Freedom House classifies Turkey as a country without freedom of press. The oppression of press in Turkey includes taxation and the imprisonment of journalists and media company owners.”
Albright argued that access to mass communication alone was not enough in today’s world, and that freedom of expression was a requirement. Albright said that while public demonstrations were still a means of expression, people voiced their opinions on the internet at a growing rate.
About Madeleine Albright
Madeleine Albright was the 64th Secretary of State of the United States. In 2012, Dr. Albright received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, from President Obama. In 1997, Dr. Albright was named the first female Secretary of State and became, at that time, the highest ranking woman in the history of the U.S. government. As Secretary of State, Dr. Albright reinforced America’s alliances, advocated for democracy and human rights, and promoted American trade, business, labor, and environmental standards abroad. From 1993 to 1997, Dr. Albright served as the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations and was a member of the President’s Cabinet. Dr. Albright is a Professor in the Practice of Diplomacy at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. She chairs both the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs and the Pew Global Attitudes Project and serves as president of the Truman Scholarship Foundation. She serves on the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Policy Board, a group tasked with providing the Secretary of Defense with independent, informed advice and opinion concerning matters of defense policy. Dr. Albright also serves on the Boards of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Aspen Institute and the Center for American Progress. She is the author of five New York Times bestsellers including Madam Secretary, and most recently, Prague Winter.
About the Sakıp Sabancı Lecture Series
Named in honor of the late Sakıp Sabancı, the Honorary Chairman of the Sabancı University Board of Trustees, the Sakıp Sabancı Lecture is held annually by Sabancı University in association with the Brookings Institution to discuss the latest developments in global politics and to draw attention to the role of Turkey in political developments on an international level.
Lectures have been held since 2005, when the initial Lecture was held to remember the late Sakıp Sabancı on the first anniversary of his passing. Previous lectures and speakers were:
2013: Dr. Kaushik Basu, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist of the World Bank; Emerging Nations and the Evolving Global Economy
2012: Former US National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski; The West and Turkey: Their Role in Shaping Wider Global Architecture
http://sabancilectures.sabanciuniv.edu/8th-sakip-sabanci-lecture-2012
2011: Former NATO Secretary-General and EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Javier Solana; “Turkey, Europe and the World”
http://sabancilectures.sabanciuniv.edu/7th-sakip-sabanci-lecture-2011
2010: Philip Gordon, US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs; “The United States and Turkey: A View from the Obama Administration”
http://sabancilectures.sabanciuniv.edu/6th-sakip-sabanci-lecture-2010
2009: Chris Patten, Chancellor of the University of Oxford: “Transatlantic Partners: The Challenges of Multilateralism for Europe, Turkey and the United States”
http://sabancilectures.sabanciuniv.edu/5th-sakip-sabanci-lecture-2009
2008: Nicholas Burns, Former U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs; “The Future of the U.S.-Turkish Relationship”
http://sabancilectures.sabanciuniv.edu/4th-sakip-sabanci-lecture-2008
2007: Richard Holbrooke, Former US Ambassador to the United Nations; “Turkey and America: Indispensable Allies at a Crossroads”
http://sabancilectures.sabanciuniv.edu/3rd-sakip-sabanci-lecture-2007
2006: Former President of the World Bank, Paul Wolfowitz; “Turkey: Embracing East and West”
http://sabancilectures.sabanciuniv.edu/2nd-sakip-sabanci-lecture-2006
2005: Former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, “US, Turkey and the World”
http://sabancilectures.sabanciuniv.edu/1st-sakip-sabanci-lecture-2005
