ANTALYA, Türkiye 

Armenia's foreign minister highlighted the significance of fostering connectivity and interdependence among nations through international trade on Saturday.

Speaking at the "ADF Round" titled "International Trade, Connectivity, and Interdependence" held as part of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF) in southern Türkiye, Ararat Mirzoyan said: "When you establish connections with other countries, you're not only contributing to your economy but also creating opportunities for mutual interdependence, which has positive implications for establishing peace. We have witnessed this firsthand in our region."

For his part, Rwanda's Foreign Minister Vincent Biruta said: "International trade is essentially what breathes life into the global economy. It promotes innovation and global prosperity by transcending borders by exchanging goods, services, and ideas. At the heart of international trade lies connectivity."

"Connectivity also brings about interdependence. Countries can no longer sustain their existence in isolation," Biruta noted.

Rifat Hisarciklioglu, President of the Union on Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye, for his part, for his part, touched upon how European countries, which had sparked two world wars, now view each other not as enemies but as trade partners.

"Thanks to this economic union they formed, for the first time in history, Western Europe hasn't seen war within its region for 80 years because trade is the greatest source of peace," Hisarciklioglu said.

"Nations engaged in trade don't discuss war or hold grudges against each other," he added.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz.