Deputy Director General Hulya Oztoprak Yilmaz (L), APO Secretary-General Dr. Indra, JPC Deputy Director of International Cooperation Department Yuma Shimizu.

A delegation from Turkiye, led by Deputy Director General Hulya Oztoprak Yilmaz of the Directorate General of Strategic Research and Productivity, Ministry of Industry and Technology (the National Productivity Organization/NPO of Turkiye), paid a courtesy call on APO Secretary-General Dr. Indra Pradana Singawinata on 10 July. The visit was part of the Individual-country Observational Study Mission (IOSM) on Best Practices in Public-sector Productivity to Japan.

Secretary-General Dr. Indra welcomed Deputy Director General Yilmaz and the delegation to the APO Secretariat, expressing deep appreciation for NPO Turkiye’s active involvement since becoming an APO member in March 2020. He highlighted its significant contribution to the successful multicountry study mission on Lean and Digital Transformation held in Konya, Turkiye recently.

Recognizing the importance and intricacy of public-sector productivity, Secretary-General Dr. Indra commended the NPO of Turkiye for organizing the annual Productivity Project Award (PPA) to promote productivity improvement in the public sector. He also praised the representatives from the Istanbul Naval Shipyard, Kayseri Ulasim A.S., and Duzce Provincial Health Directorate for their productivity improvement initiatives in shipbuilding, public transportation, and healthcare, which earned them the highest rankings in the PPA 2021. Secretary-General Dr. Indra encouraged the NPO of Turkiye to maximize the impact of the PPA by sharing award-winning initiatives with other APO members through various platforms.

In response, Deputy Director General Yilmaz expressed pleasure in participating in the IOSM and gratitude to the APO and Japan Productivity Center (JPC) for its implementation. She explained the annual PPA implemented since 2014, which aims to raise productivity awareness, attract innovative initiatives, and share best practices in public-sector productivity in the country. She also emphasized the significance of the IOSM in fostering collaboration with the JPC and inspiring innovative approaches to public-sector productivity.

During the session, the mission members were introduced to the APO, its programs, and projects hosted by the NPO of Turkiye in recent years. They also shared their productivity projects that won the PPA 2021, including the Division of Dry Dock, Efficient Transportation Lines Establishment and Operation, and Monitoring of Cleaning Activities in Health Facilities.

Delegates from Turkiye, APO Secretary-General (5th L), JPC and APO Secretariat representatives.