President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has outlined Türkiye’s preparations for the COP31 climate conference in Antalya, along with new measures on social housing and urban renewal, following a cabinet meeting in Ankara.
Speaking after the meeting at the Presidential Complex on Sept. 7, Erdoğan said more than 100,000 visitors from over 190 countries were expected to attend the conference, which will take place from Nov. 9 to 20.
The event will be held at the 1.1 million-square-meter Antalya EXPO site, where renovation work is underway.
A total of 38 kilometers of roads serving the conference venue and hotels in the Belek tourism district have been completed, Erdoğan said.
The government plans to retain the site after the conference as a permanent venue for fairs, congresses and other events, turning it into a new attraction for the Mediterranean resort city.
Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum said preparations included work on four main routes and 12 roads connecting hotels in Belek. Around 160,000 square meters of indoor exhibition space is also being built.
Turning to the economy, Erdoğan said Türkiye’s goods exports reached a record $23.5 billion in August, while annualized exports rose to $280.3 billion. The country is now $1.7 billion short of its year-end target of $282 billion.
He said the government’s three-year Medium-Term Program would focus on increasing production and exports, strengthening the services sector and advancing structural reforms.
Despite the effects of regional conflicts and higher global energy prices, Türkiye would remain on its growth and development path, Erdoğan said.
“We will do whatever is necessary to make Türkiye’s economy stronger, more competitive and more resilient in every field,” he said.
Erdoğan also provided details of the government’s 500,000-home social housing program covering all 81 provinces.
The first homes are due to be delivered from March 2027.
Applications for 15,000 rental social homes in Istanbul will open on Sept. 14, with a draw for the first 1,000 homes scheduled for October.
The president also announced that the “Half of Us” urban renewal campaign would be extended until Dec. 31, 2027.
Work has begun on 435,683 independent units under the government’s urban renewal programs, Erdoğan said, adding that the figure was expected to exceed 500,000 by the end of the year.
