Bilateral meeting with H.E. Ahmet Bagci, Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Türkiye

Dushanbe - FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu, met with H.E. Ahmet Bagci, Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Türkiye in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on the margins of the 35th FAO Regional Conference for Europe and Central Asia, to discuss ways to further strengthen the longstanding strategic partnership between FAO and Türkiye and to review ongoing cooperation at regional and global levels.

The Deputy Minister reaffirmed Türkiye’s strong commitment to its partnership with FAO, noting that over nearly two decades the cooperation had evolved into an exemplary partnership programme based on technical exchange, knowledge sharing and regional cooperation. He emphasized the strategic importance of FAO’s presence in Türkiye through the Subregional Office for Central Asia, which enables FAO to respond effectively to the growing needs of countries across the region. The Deputy Minister also expressed Türkiye’s support for preserving institutional and technical capacities during FAO’s ongoing reform process.

The Director-General welcomed the continued expansion of the FAO–Türkiye Partnership Programmes on Agriculture and Forestry and expressed appreciation for Türkiye’s contributions, which have supported implementation of numerous projects across Central Asia, the Balkans and Africa. He noted the importance of finalizing the third phase of the partnership framework in 2026, with an expanded focus on climate-resilient agrifood systems, digitalization and regional scaling.

The Director-General commended Türkiye’s leadership in climate action, agrifood systems transformation and regional cooperation, reaffirming FAO’s readiness to continue supporting the country’s priorities through technical expertise, policy support and investment initiatives. Both discussed the need to further expand and strengthen collaboration between Türkiye and FAO to achieve the Four Betters – better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life – leaving no one behind.