The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed the “Impact Accelerator Pilot Project Document” for Sustainable Development Goals.

The protocol serves as the basis for developing collaboration between Turkey and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on humanitarian aid and agricultural development and engaging in high-impact work on sustainable development.

The protocol was signed at the opening ceremony for the workshop “Innovation in the Humanitarian and Emergency Response Sector” on 10-11 April 2019 hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in partnership between Turkey and Gates Foundation. Aiming to share knowledge and experience in humanitarian response, the workshop was honoured by Ambassador Faruk Kaymakcı, Deputy Foreign Minister and the Director for EU Affairs; Mr. Hassan Damluji, Deputy Director for Global Policy & Advocacy and Head of Middle East Relations of the Gates Foundation; Mr. Claudio Tomasi, UNDP Turkey Resident Representative a.i; Ms. Aylin Çağlayan Özcan, Director-General for the European Union and Foreign Relations, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry; Ms. Ebru Ozdemir, CEO of Limak Foundation; Rahman Nurdun, Vice President, Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA); and many high-level representatives.

Information was provided at the event on the joint work conducted by Turkey and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to identify potential areas for collaboration and to develop partnership opportunities. The Feasibility Report for the “Impact Accelerator Project” for Sustainable Development Goals was disclosed to the public, and the “Impact Accelerator Pilot Project Document” was signed between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UNDP for the piloting phase that started in April.

The document includes the involvement and support of Gates Foundation for the feasibility study and pilot projects implemented by Turkey and UNDP; convening experts from Turkey and the Gates Foundation at a knowledge and experience sharing workshop focusing on humanitarian aid and emergency response; and cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and Gates Foundation in agricultural development.