On 16-18 April 2018, a Workshop on Legislation and Implementation on Waste Management and Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) was organized by TURKPA in Istanbul with the support of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (GNAT). The main aim of the workshop was to raise awareness among the TURKPA member countries on waste management and GMO and to strengthen cooperation in the relevant fields, as well as to contribute to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals for the period 2015-2030.
The workshop was attended by parliamentarians and experts from the TURKPA member countries, as well as by representatives of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock of the Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Environment and Urbanisation of Turkey, Istanbul Water and Sewerage Administration (İSKİ) and İBB Istanbul Environmental Management Company (İSTAÇ).
Official opening ceremony of the workshop was addressed by the Chairman of the TURKPA Commission on Environment and Natural Resources, Chairman of the Health Committee of the Milli Mejlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Ahliman Amiraslanov, Deputy Chairman of the TURKPA Commission on Environment and Natural Resources, member of the GNAT Mr. Feyzullah Kiyiklik, member of the Jogorku Kenesh of the Kyrgyz Republic Ms. Irina Karamushkina and TURKPA Secretary General Mr. Altynbek Mamaiusupov.
The workshop consisted of two sessions headed by Mr. Ahliman Amiraslanov and Mr. Feyzullah Kiyiklik and devoted to the legislation and implementation on GMO and waste management. During the sessions experts from the member countries and representatives of the relevant ministries and agencies of Turkey made presentations and conducted discussions on the current situation on GMO and waste management in the TURKPA member countries. The experts gave information on legislation, institutional framework and international collaboration aspects in these fields.
The participants adopted concluding reports on each session to be presented to the 4th Meeting of the TURKPA Commission on Environment and Natural Resources which is scheduled to be held on September 2018 in Bishkek. Concluding reports noted that Turkic-speaking countries attach great importance to these issues and stressed the necessity to initiate discussions on elaboration of regional instruments with participation of the TURKPA member countries regarding also a joint action on GMO and waste management and various areas of environmental protection, as well as to organize numerous events to be dedicated to the deliberations on strengthening cooperation under the TURKPA umbrella.
On 17 April 2018, as a practical part of the programme, participants visited Istanbul Water and Sewerage Administration (İSKİ) facilities, Wastewater Treatment Plant, Atakoy Advanced Biological Wastewater Treatment Plant and İBB Istanbul Environmental Management Company (İSTAÇ) facilities. During these visits participants were informed of the measures taken on strategies, objectives, actions, monitoring and control processes required within the scope of the legislation and principles of sustainability from the generation of waste to final disposal (prevention, reuse, recovery, recycling and disposal).
