Turkish envoy completes term as UNESCO General Conference president

ANKARA

Turkey’s Ambassador Ahmet Altay Cengizer completed his tenure as president of the 40th Session of the UNESCO General Conference on Tuesday, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

Cengizer, who is Turkey’s permanent delegate to UNESCO, took up the post on Nov. 12, 2019.

Held every two years, the UNESCO General Conference is the UN organization’s highest decision-making body.

The devoted work by Cengizer and his team has “been commended and appreciated by the international community in general, UNESCO and her affiliated institutions,” the ministry said in a statement.

“During his time as the President that our country assumed after 53 years, Ambassador Cengizer ensured that the work of the General Conference continued uninterruptedly in spite of the restrictions due to COVID-19 pandemic that affected the world and attached priority to endeavors to strengthen UNESCO General Conference, where all members are represented equally,” read the statement.

Turkey wishes all the success to Ambassador Santiago Irazabal Mourao, Brazil’s permanent delegate to UNESCO, who has started his term as president of the 41st Session of the General Conference, the ministry added.