Within the scope of the IPA III period, the 1st Action Coordination Unit (ACU) Meeting of the project titled “Restoring Marine Ecosystem Connectivity in South West Türkiye with Network of Marine Protected Areas Boosting Climate Change Resilience” was held on 13 February 2026.

The meeting was hosted in a hybrid format by the Directorate General for Preservation of Natural Heritage and attended by representatives of the Delegation of the European Union to Türkiye, including Sector Manager Anıl Özge Gökçe Aktaş; Head of the Department of Conservation, Monitoring and Special Environmental Protection Areas Mustafa Uzun, Contracting Expert Mr. Güven SEYDİOĞLU, representatives of General Directorate of European Union and Foreign Relations and officials from the contractor company.

Following the opening remarks, a brief presentation was delivered outlining the objectives of the meeting. Within the framework of the planned activities for the implementation period, the upcoming implementation steps, the envisaged timeline, and the roadmap were shared with the participants. In addition, the Contracting Authority and the Final Beneficiary expressed their views and assessments regarding the project implementation.

The project aims to strengthen marine ecosystem connectivity in South West Türkiye, enhance the network of marine protected areas, and increase resilience to climate change. It represents a significant step towards the conservation of marine biodiversity and the promotion of sustainable management approaches.