İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Dr. Cemil Tugay hosted Ambassador of Singapore to Türkiye, Li Peng Kok, and her delegation. During the meeting, Mayor Tugay invited the Ambassador and relevant Singaporean institutions and organizations to attend
İzmir International Fair (IEF) and EXPO 2027 İzmir, which will take place in April 2027.
Ambassador Li Peng Kok and her delegation paid a courtesy visit to Mayor Dr. Cemil Tugay. The meeting was also attended by İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Secretary General Zeki Yıldırım, Deputy Secretary General Övünç Özgen, and senior municipal officials.
Mayor Tugay Invites Singapore
Mayor Dr. Cemil Tugay described İzmir as one of Türkiye's most important cities, highlighting its 8,500-year history, strong commercial tradition, industrial capacity, and ports. Stressing the importance of cooperation between cities, he said that İzmir closely follows Singapore's technology-driven and innovative approach to addressing urban challenges. Mayor Tugay also outlined the municipality's ongoing work in urban planning, waste management, transportation, and urban transformation. He noted that İzmir ranks second in Türkiye in agricultural production and emphasized the city's rich cultural heritage, shaped by its ancient cities, as well as its significant tourism potential. Mayor Tugay concluded by inviting Ambassador Kok and relevant Singaporean institutions and organizations to participate in İzmir International Fair (IEF), held annually, and EXPO 2027 İzmir, which will be hosted in April 2027.
Kok: We Are Open and Ready for Cooperation
Ambassador Li Peng Kok noted that Singapore and İzmir share many characteristics as major port cities. She said Singapore has developed extensive expertise in urban planning, sustainability, smart city applications, and public transportation, adding that they would be happy to share Singapore's experience. The Ambassador recalled that a Singaporean delegation visited İzmir in March, meeting with İzmir Chamber of Commerce (İZTO), İzmir Development Agency (İZKA), and other relevant institutions to discuss areas such as waste management, water management, and transportation. She said that it would be beneficial for working groups from İzmir to visit Singapore, where programs could be arranged with relevant institutions to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and experience. Ambassador Kok also invited Mayor Dr. Cemil Tugay to attend the biennial World Cities Summit.
Positive Response to the Invitation
Responding to Mayor Tugay's invitation to İzmir International Fair and EXPO 2027 İzmir, Ambassador Kok said that they would establish the necessary contacts with the relevant institutions, particularly Enterprise Singapore, the government agency operating under Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry. She added that they welcomed the invitation and would explore opportunities for participation. Ambassador Kok also invited Mayor Dr. Cemil Tugay to attend NATAS Travel Fair, which will be held in Singapore from 21 to 23 August 2026.
During the meeting, Secretary General Zeki Yıldırım also described Singapore as a unique and strategically important partner for Türkiye. He emphasized Singapore's leading position in infrastructure technologies and smart city applications, noting that many of its practices could provide valuable insights for İzmir.
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