Türkiye participated in the 14th Governing Board Meeting of the Regional Centre on Urban Water Management (RCUWM), established in 2002 in Tehran under the auspices of UNESCO and of which Türkiye is a member. The Governing Board, the centre’s highest decision-making body, brings together ministers, senior officials responsible for water, and representatives of international organizations to discuss capacity-building, knowledge sharing, and research activities at regional and international levels.
Türkiye, which was first represented at the 10th Governing Board Meeting held in 2019 in Tehran, was represented at this year’s meeting on 4 December 2025 by SUEN’s Project Development and Implementation Coordinator Mustafa Salih Sarıkaya. During the meeting, participants reviewed the centre’s past and planned activities as well as its work plan of next year.
Opening the meeting as Chair of the Governing Board, Iran’s Minister of Energy Mr. Abbas Aliabad underlined the importance of the rational and conscious use of water in meeting the needs of growing urban populations. He emphasized that the centre conducts scientific research and capacity-building initiatives addressing the region’s shared water challenges.
Speaking on behalf of Türkiye, Mustafa Salih Sarıkaya highlighted Türkiye’s priorities and ongoing efforts to protect its water resources in the face of growing climate pressures. He underscored the goals set under Türkiye’s Water Efficiency Campaign launched in 2023, including reducing urban water losses, increasing wastewater reuse, and lowering per capita water consumption. Highlighting Türkiye’s support for regional capacity development in the water sector, Sarıkaya also emphasized the importance of concrete cooperation efforts and invited all member countries to participate in the 5th Istanbul International Water Forum, to be held on 5–6 May 2026.
