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MTA - JICA Cooperation

Joint Activities of MTA and JICA

The relationship between our General Directorate and Japan, especially Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), has a long history. Starting from 1968, Turkey-Japan joint mineral exploration studies were conducted in Eastern Black Sea region and some significant results were obtained as a result of these projects. Between the years 1985-1987, Dikili-Bergama Geothermal Energy Exploration Project was carried out by General Directorate of MTA and JICA. In the training programs organized in Japan, more than hundred experts were participated since 1970s and as well as becoming more competent professionally, they shared their knowledge and experiences mutually. 

The Third Country Training Program jointly realised by MTA and JICA has started in 1997. This training program, which is financed by Government of Japan and based on the principle to share a current capacity in a developing country with the other developing countries located in the same area, was implemented for the first time in General Directorate of MTA in Turkey and then, because of its success, it was started to be implemented in other public institutions. 

The training program on “Exploration and Evaluation of the Underground Resources” was conducted between the years 1997-2005 and totally 15 countries were participated in it. The participating countries were Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Georgia, Moldova, Syria, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine and Pakistan. In the training programs realised between 2006-2008, which were focused on the subjects mineral exploration by using Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems, natural disaster detection and environment, fifteen developing countries were took part.

The Third Country Training Program for only one country was first realised in 2006 for Palestine and lasted three years. The program was implemented with the technical support of General Directorate of Forestry and General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre. Within the same context, the program on “Capacity Building in Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems” for Iraq was realised between 2010-2013 with the technical support of General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works and İstanbul Water and Sewerage Administration.

In the Third Country Training programs that were conducted between the years 1997-2013 totally 359 experts were participated and the programs were financed by JICA.

Within the scope of Third Country Training Program (TCTP) between Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and our General Directorate, training program on Exploration and Evaluation of Mineral Resources for Balkan was realized with 7 participants from Albania and Kosovo between November 9 and 20, 2015.  The last program was held in the General Directorate of MTA between November 14 and 25, 2016 with the cooperation of MTA and JICA and 12 participants participated in the program, 5 from Bosnia and Herzegovina, 6 from Albania and 1 from Kosovo. In addition to improving our technical cooperation with Japan, the training program is expected to contribute to the mining sector of neighbouring Balkan countries as well.