Ankara, 27 May – The Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Achim Steiner, begins today his official visit to Istanbul and Ankara, where he will discuss with national counterparts the country’s longstanding partnership with UNDP and inaugurate a forum on global development financing.

Signed in 2011, the Partnership Framework Agreement enables both parties to expand their cooperation at the national, regional and global level.

As part of that framework, Turkey has contributed to UNDP’s regional programme in Europe and Central Asia and is supporting the Istanbul Regional Hub. The country has also become one of the top non-OECD/DAC donors to UNDP core resources and contributing to key poverty reducing programmes around the world. Turkey also contributes to the budget of the Istanbul International Centre for Private Sector in Development.

UNDP’s national programme is divided into three pillars: inclusive and sustainable growth, inclusive and democratic governance, and climate change and environmental protection.

Turkey has the world’s largest number of refugees, hosting over 3.6 million Syrians. The country has given them free access to education, health care, employment and social security. It is also the largest donor of humanitarian aid in the world in proportion to its national income.

While in Ankara, Achim Steiner will meet Fuat Oktay, Vice President of Turkey and Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Foreign Minister. In Istanbul, with Naci Ağbal, head of the Strategy and Budget Office of the Presidency of Government of Turkey, Achim Steiner will open the Istanbul Development Dialogues (IDD), which will address how to finance sustainable development in the 21^st century. With domestic and international financing far short of the US$5-7 trillion required to meet the Sustainable Development Goals, the event will look at practical solutions for unlocking blended finance at the country level.

About Achim Steiner 

Achim Steiner leads the work and country offices of UNDP in 170 countries and territories across the world since April 2017. He also chairs the UN Development Group, which unites 32 UN funds, programmes, specialized agencies and other bodies that work to support sustainable development.

Bringing more than three decades of leadership experience in global development issues and international cooperation, Mr. Steiner is a passionate advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals and the need for unprecedented global cooperation to deliver on this ambitious agenda.

Prior to joining UNDP, Mr. Steiner served in roles across the UN, non-government organizations and high-level advisory bodies shaping public policy. This included tenures as United Nations Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme; as Director-General of the UN Office at Nairobi and as Director General of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.