Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu, while in Istanbul on the occasion of the Peace Summit taking place today, officially launched the new Istanbul Regional Hub of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) together with UNDP Administrator Helen Clark and the Mayor of Istanbul Kadir Topbaş. Following the inauguration, Minister Çavuşoğlu held a bilateral meeting with UNDP Administrator Clark and evaluated the development issues and the humanitarian situation in our region.

Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu later met his counterpart from Ghana, Foreign and Regional Integration Minister Hannah Tetteh, who is in Turkey on the occasion of the Centennial Commemoration Ceremonies of the Çanakkale Land Battles. Foreign Ministers evaluated the bilateral relations between Turkey and Ghana and exchanged views on the deepening of Strategic Partnership between Turkey and Africa. Minister Çavuşoğlu underlined the importance of fostering economic cooperation as well as improving relations on military and defense matters.

Minister Çavusoğlu also had a bilateral meeting with the Minister of International Cooperation of Guinea, Mustafa Kutub Sano, who is in Turkey for the Centennial Commemoration Ceremonies. In the meeting, the two Ministers exchanged views on the possibilities of improving economic cooperation and highlighted the role the Turkish construction companies can play in fostering economic ties. Guinean Minister Sano expressed his gratitude for Turkey’s assistance to African countries with regards to the Ebola Outbreak and highlighted his country’s expectation that Turkish Airlines starts operating flights to Guinea.

Following the bilaterals, Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu had a working lunch with the Deputy Foreign Minister of Singapore Grace Fu and discussed Turkey-Singapore bilateral relations and important international developments.

Minister Çavuşoğlu later received the leader of the Australian Labor Party Bill Shorten.

Following that Minister Çavuşoğlu had a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of New Zealand John Key and discussed regional developments, including the situation in Syria, Iraq, Libya and Ukraine. They exchanged views on the fight against foreign terrorist fighters and the situation of the Syrian refugees. Minister Çavuşoğlu also thanked his counterpart for his participation to the Centennial Commemoration Ceremonies and underlined that Çanakkale Land Battles played an important role in the identity building of both countries.

Minister Çavuşoğlu also came together with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjørn Jagland and they discussed several matters, including the fact that Turkey has become one of the the grandest contributors to European Council's budget, strengthening cooperation between the Council and relevant national institutions, Turkey"s willingness to become state party to the remaining European Council conventions, the recent developments in Ukraine and Crimea and the situation of the refugees in Turkey.

Finally, Minister Çavuşoğlu had a bilateral meeting with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom Philip Hammond and exchanged views on the recent developments in Iraq, Yemen, Libya and Cyprus, the negotiations among P5+1 on Iran's nuclear file, the train and equip program for the Syrian opposition and the fight against foreign terrorist fighters.