A policy dialogue on 22 July in Ankara brought together more than 130 representatives of governments, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ entities, development partners, international financial institutions, academia, civil society and the private sector to advance South¨CSouth and triangular cooperation for climate action.
Convened by the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ in T¨¹rkiye in cooperation with the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (T?KA) and the Office of the COP31 High-Level Climate Champion with support from the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Office for South-South Cooperation (Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵOSSC), the meeting marked an initial step towards establishing a T¨¹rkiye-anchored South¨CSouth and Triangular Cooperation Climate Initiative.
The proposed initiative aims to connect developing countries with practical solutions, expertise, technology, and financing, particularly in support of Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States.
¡°COP31 presents a timely opportunity to demonstrate how South¨CSouth and triangular cooperation can drive climate implementation,¡± said Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Office for South-South Cooperation Director Dima Al-Khatib in a video message. She called for platforms to connect countries with solutions, innovators with investors, and local experience with global partnerships.
Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Resident Coordinator in T¨¹rkiye Babatunde Ahonsi described this form of cooperation as ¡°peer-to-peer, demand-driven and country-owned,¡± based on partnership among equals. He said T¨¹rkiye¡¯s reach, institutional capacity, and cooperation philosophy made it a natural hub for climate cooperation, technology exchange, and partnership building.
Abdullah Eren, President of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) said the dialogue sought to build on T¨¹rkiye¡¯s Zero Waste initiative and T?KA¡¯s extensive field experience. ¡°Our objective is to transform ideas into concrete partnerships, deliver tangible outcomes for COP31, and strengthen climate resilience in the countries and communities most affected by climate change,¡± he said.
Participants explored climate technology and innovation, circular economy and resource efficiency, adaptation and nature-based solutions, policy implementation, and climate finance. They also identified initiatives, partnerships, and investment opportunities that could be developed and showcased at COP31.
Coordinated by the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Resident Coordinator¡¯s Office in T¨¹rkiye and the United Nations Information Centre in Ankara, the dialogue generated ideas expected to inform preparations for a potential COP31 side event and demonstrated how South¨CSouth and triangular cooperation can turn shared challenges into practical, locally owned solutions.
