By Beril Canakci
ISTANBUL (AA) - The Istanbul Development Dialogues opened on Tuesday in the Turkish metropolis, bringing together global policymakers, business leaders, and development experts for two days of discussions on the future of sustainable growth.
The annual forum, organized by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) along with the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) and Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry, has become one of the region’s key platforms for shaping development policy since it was launched a decade ago.
This year’s event, held under the theme “Shaping Development Futures,” also included the Türkiye launch of the 2025 Human Development Report and a conversation on development trends across Europe and Central Asia.
Opening speakers included Türkiye’s Deputy Trade Minister Mustafa Tuzcu, UNDP Acting Administrator Haoliang Xu, senior Foreign Ministry official Ambassador Korhan Karakoc, and TIKA Vice President Rahman Nurdun.
- Global development financing under pressure
According to a study released on Monday by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, sharp reductions in foreign aid from the US and key European nations could cause 22.6 million preventable deaths in developing countries by 2030, including 5.4 million children under 5. This research highlights the first such aid drop in nearly 30 years from donors like Britain, Germany, France, and the US.
Against this backdrop, the first panel, “Making Development Cooperation Fit for the Future,” examined the mounting pressures facing the global development system.
Joanna Lalak, deputy director at Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, warned of a continuing erosion of the multilateral system, adding that Poland is maintaining—and even increasing—its global assistance despite economic pressure. She also called for UN reforms to make the organization “less bureaucratic, more present on the ground, and stronger.”
Yerzhan Nesibkulov, from Kazakhstan’s Ministry of National Economy, outlined Central Asia’s perspective on development priorities and cooperation efforts with neighboring countries.
Alexei Jones, of the European Centre for Development Policy Management, noted significant cuts in traditional development contributions, particularly from major donors such as the US and several European countries, creating what he described as fiscal strain on global development financing.
Development models must never be “copy-pasted,” said Nikica Mojsoska-Blazevski, head of the Macedonian think-and-do tank Macedonia 2025. She cautioned against replicating development models without considering cultural context, saying approaches that ignore local realities often fail.
Lastly, a sustainability and social-impact strategist, Nidhi Gulati, highlighted the importance of cross-sector collaboration, while UNDP’s Istanbul International Private Sector Center Director Sahba Sobhani pointed to Türkiye as a notable example of integrating the private sector into development processes, citing the role of institutions like TIKA.
Other sessions throughout the day explored regional human development trends, the role of AI in inclusive growth, digital solutions for sustainability, and partnerships aimed at resilience and recovery.