Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas is paying an official visit to Bucharest at the invitation of Bucharest Mayor Ciprian Ciucu.

Yavas is due to be welcomed at the airport by Ciucu on Thursday evening. Talks on issues of interest to residents and the two cities will begin on Friday, with the Turkish delegation remaining in Bucharest until Saturday evening, the Bucharest City Hall said.

Ankara and Bucharest signed a twinning agreement nearly three decades ago.

'Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas, currently serving his second consecutive term, is arriving this evening for his first visit to Romania's capital. He was invited by Mayor Ciprian Ciucu, who has set out to revive relations with all nine cities twinned with Bucharest. The aim is to support Bucharest's development in areas such as academia, tourism and business,' the municipality said.

The delegation includes local council representatives and Turkish businesspeople.

Discussions will focus on mobility and urban management, including public transport, traffic management, smart traffic-light systems, urban planning and public-space regeneration, as well as social services and digital administration, covering support for vulnerable groups, decision-making transparency, digitalisation of services and citizen engagement.

The agenda also includes economic cooperation, with efforts to build on contacts established through a business forum organised during the visit and to connect chambers of commerce and interested companies. Culture, education and tourism will also be discussed, including joint projects related to heritage, mutual promotion and cooperation among institutions, universities and non-governmental organisations.

Another key topic will be revitalising the twinning relationship and moving towards project-based cooperation.

Friday's programme includes participation in the Bucharest-Ankara Business Forum, which Bucharest City Hall said it helped arrange and organise at the request of Turkish officials, in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

'The business communities of both countries will take part. The event aims to facilitate direct contacts between companies from the two capitals and create opportunities for partnerships, investment and trade between Romania and Turkey. The day will continue with a visit to the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey. On Saturday, the Turkish delegation will visit some of Bucharest's best-known landmarks aboard the city's tourist bus,' the City Hall said.

In addition to Ankara, Bucharest is twinned with Athens (1993), Atlanta (1994), Pretoria (1997), Amman (1999), Chisinau (1999), Nicosia (2004), Beijing (2005) and Tbilisi (2022). AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Irinela Visan; EN - writing by: Simona Klodnischi)