Ms. Akçabay and Mr. Büyüksağnak Represented Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality at the G-NETS Leaders Summit

Deputy Secretary General of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Ms. Zeynep Neyza Akçabay, and Head of the Department of Foreign Relations, Mr. Barbaros Büyüksağnak, represented Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality at the Leaders Summit of the Global City Network for Sustainability (G-NETS), of which IMM is a member, held in Tokyo between 27-29 April 2026.

The Summit, hosted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, convened representatives from 55 cities to discuss common priorities in sustainability and resilience.

At the Summit’s “Resilience” session, Mr. Barbaros Büyüksağnak, Head of the Department of Foreign Relations, presented Istanbul’s approach to urban climate and disaster resilience. In his presentation, Mr. Büyüksağnak shared Istanbul’s priorities in addressing the climate crisis and disaster risks, as well as IMM’s efforts on earthquake risk management, disaster awareness, flood and drought resilience, and the coordination role of AKOM with international participants.

Ms. Zeynep Neyza Akçabay, Deputy Secretary General, delivered remarks at the Summit’s Plenary Session, highlighting IMM’s commitment to continuing its science-based urban resilience agenda. In her remarks, she addressed earthquake preparedness, flood and drought resilience, reduction of water loss, climate action, and inclusive planning.

The Summit also included a visit to SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026, one of Asia’s largest global startup conferences, in addition to technical sessions.

The G-NETS Leaders Summit provided a platform for global cities to exchange experiences on common challenges and to explore opportunities for cooperation toward more sustainable, safe, and resilient cities.