ISLAMABAD: A Turkish technical delegation led by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) visited Pakistan to explore avenues for strengthening bilateral cooperation in flood management, climate resilience, and early warning systems.
The visit aimed at facilitating technical consultations, field assessments, and institutional exchanges to develop a joint roadmap for future collaboration between the two countries.
The Turkish delegation was headed by Mr. Maruf Aras, Deputy General Manager of General Directorate of Combating Desertification and Erosion of Türkiye’s Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, and comprised experts from State Hydraulic Works (DSİ), the General Directorate for Water Management and TİKA.
During the visit, the delegation held a series of meetings and technical consultations with key Pakistani institutions, including the Federal Flood Commission (FFC), Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), and the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCC&EC).
A key engagement of the visit was a meeting with Secretary Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Aisha Humera Chaudhary, along with senior officials. The discussions focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation and sharing experiences in flood and disaster management practices in both countries.
Both sides exchanged information on ongoing and planned initiatives related to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), flood and river basin management, glacier and avalanche management, desertification and erosion control, climate-resilient infrastructure, and hydrometeorological observation and early warning systems.
They also explored cooperation opportunities in zero-waste initiatives, institutional capacity building, technical training programmes, and joint research and development projects aimed at climate adaptation and disaster resilience.
The Turkish delegation conducted field visits to key hydrometeorological monitoring and flood management facilities in Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Lahore, including telemetry-based hydro-met stations, flood-affected river areas, and operational forecasting centres.
Technical experts from both countries exchanged views on integrated flood forecasting systems, data-driven risk monitoring, sediment and erosion control, and community-based resilience approaches.
The visit reflects the longstanding cooperation and solidarity between Pakistan and Türkiye and underscores their shared commitment to addressing the growing challenges of climate change, extreme weather events, and disaster risks through enhanced collaboration.
