H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK met with H.E. Andrea Meza MURILLO, Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, former Minister of Environment and Energy at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2026. Discussions focused on cooperation toward COP31 (Antalya).

The meeting also addressed avenues for strengthening cooperation on water security, noting that 16 OIC countries are experiencing ‘critical’ water stress, as highlighted in the OIC Water Report 2025 prepared by SESRIC. In this regard, the 5th Istanbul International Water Forum, the 2026 UN Water Conference in the UAE, and the 11th World Water Forum in 2027 in Saudi Arabia were identified as key platforms for advancing joint efforts on land degradation, desertification, and sustainable land management.