UNICEF to open global office in Istanbul

ISTANBUL

Turkish parliament has received a presidential decree approving the establishment of a United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) global office in Istanbul.

The agency will relocate to the Istanbul office its key operations, including human resources, emergency operations and major finance and administration units.

“This resolution was supported by our country in line with our vision for Istanbul to become a United Nations center,” the decree stated.

The agreement for the establishment of the UNICEF office in Istanbul was signed in New York in 2023, and the move is expected to further strengthen Türkiye's collaboration with the U.N. agency. The decision underscores Türkiye’s commitment to supporting global U.N. activities.

UNICEF is a U.N. agency responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to children worldwide.

This development came amid efforts of Turkish authorities toward the goal of turning Istanbul into a U.N. hub in line with Türkiye’s business and humanitarian foreign policy.

The U.N. will relocate some headquarters to Istanbul from Geneva and open an Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the metropolis to support field operations worldwide.

The agreement signed between Türkiye and the U.N. in New York in November 2022 emphasized the need for regional coordination among resident coordinators as part of the U.N.’s reform process in its development structure.

Turkish Foreign Ministry sources described the agreement as “a concrete step in line with its vision to make Istanbul a U.N. center,” akin to New York and Geneva.