On January 8, 2025, the Coordination Meeting was held in virtual mode between the ECO Secretariat and the General Directorate of Combating Desertification and Erosion under the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change of Türkiye. The participants discussed the modality of launching a project on Capacity Building on Desertification, Land Degradation, and Erosion Monitoring Systems in the ECO Region. This initiative marked a renewed commitment to address pressing environmental challenges in the region.
During the meeting, the representatives of Türkiye delivered a presentation on the project proposal, outlining its goal to improve the capacities of the ECO Member States in monitoring and evaluation systems, objectives and detailed implementation arrangements. The possible role of this project was emphasized in view of the need to revive the momentum of regional cooperation on desertification, and land degradation.
Dr. Fuad Farzalibeyov, Director for Energy. Minerals and Environment of the ECO Secretariat expressed appreciation for Türkiye’s initiative and highlighted the relevance of the project proposal, while monitoring and evaluation of the Land Degradation Neutrality is a significant topic in the global environmental agenda and could be duly grasped in the ECO region. ECO Secretariat also encouraged the adoption of bold actions at the upcoming Regional Planning Council (RPC) meeting and their due reflection in the ECO Work Programme for 2025.
