Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayors Serra Bucak and Doğan Hatun held meetings in Ankara with the representatives of the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office and UNICEF in Turkey.

Co-Mayors Serra Bucak and Doğan Hatun carried out a series of contacts in Ankara. Within this framework, they met with Babatunde A. Ahonsi, United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator in Turkey, and Paolo Marchi, UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) Representative in Turkey.

Sustainable Goals Discussed

At the meeting with UN Resident Coordinator in Turkey Babatunde A. Ahonsi, the main objectives of Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality’s 2025–2029 Strategic Plan were addressed. The discussions covered priority goals such as social development, combating climate change, infrastructure projects, economic growth and social equality, and how these goals could be implemented locally in line with sustainable development tools. The potential support that UN agencies could provide on these issues was also emphasised.

Issues Discussed to Be Brought to the UN Meeting

UN Resident Coordinator Ahonsi stated that the meeting had gone very well and underlined that Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality was a very important municipality. He noted that the issues raised during the meeting would be the first items on the agenda of the coordination meeting to be held with UN agencies next week.

Step Towards Cooperation with the UN

The discussions also addressed increasing invitations for more active participation in UN events, providing financial and technical support, and appointing a liaison officer from the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in Turkey for direct communication.

The meeting was considered an important step towards strengthening the municipality’s international cooperation and achieving its goals in line with sustainable development tools.

Meeting with UNICEF

The Co-Mayors then met with UNICEF Representative in Turkey Paolo Marchi to discuss cooperation and the development of joint projects. At the meeting, it was agreed that the municipality would actively participate in UNICEF projects, provide technical and financial support to existing projects, and strengthen cooperation.

UNICEF Representative in Turkey Paolo Marchi stated that a technical delegation would soon be sent to Diyarbakır and that concrete steps would be taken on project cooperation. He also underlined that Diyarbakır would be included in partnerships with the private sector for project funding, and that the city was within UNICEF’s special area of interest as a “child-friendly city.”

The meeting was considered an important step towards the rapid implementation of projects aimed at improving the quality of life of children and young people.

The Co-Mayors were accompanied in the meetings by Özden Gürbüz Sümer, Head of the Department of Women and Family Services; Serap Yıldırım, Head of the Department of Social Services; Murat Akbaş, Head of the Department of Studies and Projects; Mehmet Rüştü Tiryaki, DEM Party Deputy Co-Chair responsible for Local Governments; and Evren Çevik, DEM Party Head of International Relations at the General Centre.