Signing Ceremony for Record of Discussions on “Project for Capacity Building on Rapid Screening Method”

On 18 February 2026, a signing ceremony for the Record of Discussions (R/D) of the new technical cooperation project was held between the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye (UMT).

This signing comes at a timely moment, as JICA and UMT are concluding the “Project for Capacity Building for Local Municipalities on Disaster Risk Reduction and Waste Management.” During this project, UMT and JICA worked closely together to enhance local authorities’ capacities in disaster risk reduction, seismic retrofitting, and waste management. A wide range of activities—including dispatchment of Japanese experts, training in Japan, in-country seminars—brought together more than 200 participants from UMT, municipalities, and relevant ministries, sharing lessons learned from Japanese experience across Türkiye.

Building upon this strong foundation of cooperation, the new project marks an important next step toward enhancing municipal capacity for seismic safety in Türkiye. During the ceremony, Secretary General Mr. Suat Yıldız from UMT and JICA exchanged signatures on the R/D for the new project.

Mr. Suat Yıldız noted, “Record of Discussions is not merely an agreement between the two institutions, but a concrete and strong demonstration of the deep-rooted friendship, solidarity, and shared vision based on knowledge sharing between Türkiye and Japan.”

This project aims to enhance municipalities’ ability to assess the vulnerability of private buildings using an improved rapid screening method, thereby promoting seismic retrofitting and the rebuilding of at‑risk structures.

With the previous project concluding, the newly signed project signals the start of a strengthened new phase of cooperation between JICA and UMT—one that aims to contribute to safer, more resilient urban environments across Türkiye.