Day: February 14, 2024

ISTANBUL: Indonesia's Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto is in the lead on the initial quick count of votes in the world's largest single-day election on Wednesday to elect the successor of President Joko Widodo, multiple local media outlets reported. Initial results indicated that Subianto, who led the pre-poll surveys, is getting closer to an outright win. Local English daily Jakarta Globe reported citing independent pollsters. Pollster Lembaga Survei Indonesia reported that Prabowo Subianto has secured 57.13% of the votes as of 4.17 p.m. (local time). He is followed by Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar (25.55%) and Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud Md. (17.33%). The quick count polls have collected 59.7% of the votes. Another quick count by Poltracking Indonesia reported that Subianto was leading with 59.68%, followed by Anies-Muhaimin (23.38%), and Ganjar fell behind by only earning 16.94%) of the votes. A six-hour-long voting process has concluded in Indonesia where millions of people on Wednesday cast their ball ots in the country's presidential, national, and provincial elections. Polls opened at 7 a.m. (0000GMT) amid heavy rain in the capital Jakarta and other parts of the country and closed at 1 p.m. (0600GMT). Counting has begun at many places. However, heavy rains and flooding forced the election authority to delay polls in the Demak regency, Central Java, according to Jakarta Post news website, while some polling stations were damaged due to gusty winds and downpours. The official results will be announced in the next 35 days, with early trends of Wednesday's poll expected to flow by late Wednesday local time. Voter turnout was yet to be released. More than 204 million people were eligible to vote to choose the country's next president, vice president, and lawmakers for the parliament, as well as members of provincial legislative bodies. Prabowo Subianto, former Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo, and former Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan are the three frontrunners to succeed President Joko Widodo, pop ularly known as 'Jokowi.' 'This is a celebration of democracy,' Jokowi told reporters before casting his vote, along with first lady Iriana Widodo in the Gambir district of Jakarta. Baswedan cast his vote at a polling station near his private residence in Lebak Bulus, southern Jakarta. Pranowo voted in Semarang, the capital of Central Java province, where he served as governor for a decade. Leading in pre-poll surveys, Subianto cast his ballot in the Hambalang area of West Java province. No survey has shown any of the three candidates passing the 50% mark to claim the presidency. Voting in country and overseas Indonesia is the world's third-largest democracy and the largest Muslim-majority democracy. It is also holding the world's largest single-day elections to choose around 20,000 administrative officials across 38 provinces where 820,000 polling stations have been set up. It marks the second time since 2019 that Indonesia, home to more than 274 million people, will hold presidential and parliamenta ry elections simultaneously. Besides presidential hopefuls, some 10,000 candidates are vying for positions. The Southeast Asian country held its first free general elections in 1999 and has since 2004 directly elected its president. Spread across 17,000 islands, Indonesia has three time zones. Barring police and military personnel, anyone aged 17 and above can vote. Polling in the eastern provinces of Maluku, North Maluku, Papua, West Papua, South Papua, Central Papua, Papua Highlands, and Southwest Papua closed two hours early. Likewise, polling had stopped an hour early in South Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, North Kalimantan, North Sulawesi, Gorontalo, West Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, and East Nusa Tenggara provinces. Early voting began also overseas, where the Indonesian diaspora has been casting their ballots since Feb. 5. Some 7 million officials have been deployed to oversee polls on election day, marred by rains and flooding in some area s.??????? Source: Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL: The Turkish communications director said on Wednesday that cooperation between Trkiye and Egypt is necessary for the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people. As part of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to Egypt, the Turkish Communications Directorate organized a roundtable meeting, The Future of Trkiye-Egypt Relations: Regional Developments and Challenges, in Cairo. In a written message to the meeting, Fahrettin Altun said the most pressing issue for both the region and the Muslim world in recent months has been the situation of Palestinians in the face of Israel's relentless attacks. Altun said the Rafah border crossing, Gaza's only gateway to the outside world except for the Israeli border, located on the Egyptian border, makes Egypt crucial in the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza and mediation efforts. Altun also cited a statement by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi in which he expressed worry about the reduced number of aid trucks entering Gaza. "We are aware that the Egyptian people and the Egyptian state play a constructive role in solidarity with Palestine and in resolving regional problems," he said. "Therefore, the current conditions necessitate and make essential the cooperation between Trkiye and Egypt, two major regional countries that prioritize the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people," he said. "Egypt's sole border crossing with Gaza makes this cooperation even more imperative." Source: Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL: After a decade of strained relations between Ankara and Cairo, the prospect of normalization looms large as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan plans a significant visit to Egypt on Feb. 14. Turkish-Egyptian relations soured following the 2013 military coup that ousted Mohamed Morsi, Egypt's first democratically elected president. Following Ankara's condemnation of the coup, diplomatic ties got severed. Changing dynamics of relations between Trkiye and Egypt Subsequently, while bilateral and economic relations suffered, both nations became regional rivals, particularly in conflicts like Libya, where they supported opposing factions. Cairo backed the Libyan National Army (LNA), while Ankara supported the United Nations (UN)-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA). In 2020, tensions escalated with disputes over East Mediterranean gas exploration and maritime boundaries, leading to confrontations at different levels, including verbal exchanges and media propaganda. The prolonged period of strained ties has arguably been more extended than necessary, considering lost opportunities for both nations in various realms. Analyzing this historical context and international relations in general, however, requires an understanding of the conditions and dynamics of the time. However, a new chapter unfolded in 2021, marked by exploratory talks that gained momentum after the handshake between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the 2022 World Cup in Doha. This dialogue was intensified after the deadly February earthquakes in Trkiye and is set to culminate during President Erdogan's upcoming visit. Cairo visit comes at a difficult time for the Middle East The timing of the visit coincides with the international community witnessing Israel's massacre and atrocities against children, women and civilians in Gaza since Oct. 7, resulting in spillover effects in a broader region involving Lebanon, Syria, northern Iraq, and the Red Sea, with the involveme nt of global powers and regional players. During Erdogan's visit, a crucial topic on the agenda will be exploring opportunities for joint mediation efforts in regional conflicts. Both Trkiye and Egypt, with their large populations and military capabilities, hold pivotal roles in regional balances. Their unified stance and dialogue on Palestine are crucial for humanitarian aid, mediation, and the future of a sovereign Palestinian state, as well as post-conflict development projects and reconstruction efforts. Moreover, their relationship contributes to the balance in Gulf dynamics and the African region, with potential positive outcomes for the stability of countries like Libya, Sudan, and Ethiopia. Additionally, the restoration of ties with Cairo, coupled with Ankara-Athens rapprochement efforts, could positively influence the East Mediterranean dispute. Indeed, Egypt and Trkiye, remnants of the Ottoman Empire, share a rich diplomatic, economic, cultural, and social relationship that has evolved over the y ears. The ongoing normalization will no doubt further strengthen ties in these areas. Rebuilding economic and security relations Anticipated areas of collaboration in the new period include efforts to rebuild economic ties and increase bilateral trade, with a current volume of $10 billion and a goal to reach $15 billion in the next 5 years. Turkish investment in Egypt stands at nearly $2 billion, with contractors working on projects valued at about $1.2 billion. The further strengthening of existing trade ties through new agreements, diversifying mutual investments, and establishing projects in transportation and energy will foster economic collaboration. Additionally, tourism and cultural exchange, focal points for both nations, will enhance people-to-people connections. Defense and security cooperation represent another significant area for improvement. Both countries heavily invest in defense development, with Turkish drones and domestically manufactured defense products earning global acclaim. The Turk ish president has spent significant effort for his vision of self-reliant defense industry, spanning from unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAV) to fighter jets and warships. Domestically produced defense products have proved their success not only domestically in the fight against terrorist groups, but also in conflict zones such as Syria, Libya, South Caucasus and in Ukraine. As such, exchanges in defense industry cooperation will be a key focus during Erdogan's visit. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has already announced a common agreement on selling Turkish drones to Egypt, likely including drones developed by Baykar, such as Bayraktar TB2 which can fly for more than 20 hours at 27,000 feet, can carry a load of up to 120 kilograms and weighs only 650 kilograms. Baykar has exported its drones to more than 30 countries to date. In conclusion, of course, the normalization's positive impact will not be limited to the above mentioned areas and will extend beyond. It will contribute significantly to minimiz ing the spillover effect of conflict in Gaza amid major security risks and instability in the region. The dialogue and synchronization between Ankara and Cairo hold the potential to realize the full potential in areas of bilateral cooperation, benefiting people-to-people harmony and the economic interests of both sides. Erdogan's visit signifies not just a diplomatic gesture but also a strategic move toward regional stability and cooperation. ??????? *Opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Anadolu. Source: Anadolu Agency