Meetings with the FTPP Senior Focal Points and the National Project Coordinators in Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan
The FAO-Turkey Partnership Programme on Food and Agriculture (FTPP II) gained momentum with the initiation of four projects at the end of 2019. Accordingly, FAO organized meetings with the FTPP Senior Focal Points and National Project Coordinators of the beneficiary countries to strengthen dialogue and collaboration.
The first meeting was held in Baku, Azerbaijan on 3 December 2019. Viorel Gutu, the Subregional Coordinator for Central Asia and FAO Representative in Turkey, opened the meeting stating that the joint aim was to ensure that all beneficiary countries remained well informed about the developments of FTPP II and to establish close collaboration between the counterparts in the countries. Melek Çakmak, the FAO Representative in Azerbaijan, highlighted the strategic importance of the FTPP for complementing ongoing projects and activities carried out under the FAO-Azerbaijan Partnership Programme (FAPP). The opening remarks were followed by a presentation by Leyla Akyüz Sönmez, the FTPP Liaison Officer, and an open discussion with the representatives from the relevant ministries and institutions of Azerbaijan.
A similar meeting was held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on 23 January 2020. Erkinbek Choduev, Minister of Agriculture, Food Industry and Melioration and Viorel Gutu were also present during the opening session. During the meeting, Leyla Akyüz Sönmez provided a brief introduction to FTPP, presenting the organizational structure of FAO-SEC/FETUR and the roles and responsibilities of the various parties involved in the process, and sharing plans for effective communication and increased visibility of project activities. The presentations were followed by an open discussion and a Q&A session.
Both meetings established fruitful dialogue with partner organizations in Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan prior to implementation of the project activities.
Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan are among the beneficiary countries of the four projects (FISHCap, CAC-Rust, Food Loss and Waste, and ECO-RCC II). As per the FTPP II agreement, each beneficiary country appoints a Senior Focal Point for the Programme and National Project Coordinators for each project under FTPP.
Copyright for main picture: Viorel Gutu, Sub-regional Coordinator giving the opening remarks. Baku, Azerbaijan ©FAO/Ilaha Mammadova
Picture at the end of the page: Dinara Rakhmanova, Assistant FAOR in Kyrgyzstan and Leyla Akyuz Sonmez, FTPP Liaison Officer, together with the Senior Focal Point and National Project Coordinators of Kyrgyzstan. ©FAO