Türkiye has included a health agenda in the official program of the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP31 for the first time under its presidency and hosting role this year, a senior Health Ministry official said Monday.
Speaking during the 79th session of the World Health Organization (WHO) World Health Assembly in Geneva, Health Ministry Director General for European Union and Foreign Relations Aziz Alper Biten said Türkiye had worked intensively to ensure health issues were formally incorporated into the COP31 agenda.
The remarks came at an event jointly organized by Türkiye and Brazil titled "Belem Health Action Plan: Promoting Continuity in Climate and Health Actions from COP30 to COP31.”
Biten said health ministries had attended previous COP meetings and health-themed days had been organized in the past, but health had never officially been placed on the conference agenda.
"As Türkiye, through determined and persistent efforts, we succeeded in placing health on the COP31 agenda,” he said.
He added that under the theme "Dynamic and Resilient Health Systems,” Türkiye would have the opportunity to present its experience and health care practices to the international community during the summit, which will be hosted by the country in November.
Biten said the inclusion of health on the COP agenda had attracted significant attention from countries attending the World Health Assembly and described it as an important development both for COP history and for Türkiye.
"After implementing this, we hope countries around the world will begin addressing health issues as part of future COP agendas,” he said.
Highlighting Türkiye’s achievements in health care, Biten said the country has shared its experience with many nations in different fields and that COP31 would further strengthen international cooperation.
"Through COP31 and this health agenda, we will have the opportunity to share all the experience and achievements we have gained in health care with the world, including neighboring and developed countries,” he added.