Following the twin earthquakes that struck Turkiye on 6 February, claiming over 55,000 lives and leaving nearly 130,000 injured across 10 provinces, the Denizli Governorship took a proactive step to fortify its disaster prevention and management strategies. Underscoring the APO’s commitment to supporting its members, a Technical Expert Services (TES) project on Increasing Efficiency of Provincial Disaster Management was organized 25–28 July in Denizli, during which leading Japanese experts shared invaluable insights and best practices.

Turkish officials from local, central, and government organizations attending the opening session.

The project comprised a conference attended by 330 officials from 97 local, central, and government organizations. Two resource persons from Japan, Dr. Makoto Ikeda, Senior Researcher at the Asian Disaster Reduction Center, and Professor Masahiko Murata, Kansai University of International Studies, presented comparative analyses of the two nations, highlighting areas where Turkiye could adopt and adapt Japan’s disaster management methodologies. Three Turkish resource persons also shared their perspectives, providing participants with a comprehensive, collaborative learning experience. Additional training sessions and site visits to disaster coordination centers, the ancient Laodicea city Faultline, and metropolitan municipalities gave pragmatic insights on disaster management coordination.

Local site visits and training sessions provided insights on disaster coordination.

After completion of the project, Denizli Muncipality took immediate action to initiate the production of mobile toilet kits recommended by the Japanese resource persons.

As nations across the Asia-Pacific, including APO members, share similar environmental and geographic challenges, such initiatives exemplify how collaborative efforts and knowledge sharing can pave the way for a safer future in the region.