Director General of SESRIC received Mr. Michael Gaudé, Representative of the UNHCR Turkish Office, and Mr. Karim Atassi, Deputy Representative in his office on 9 March 2010. The Director General of SESRIC, Dr. Savaş Alpay, expressed his thanks and welcome to his guests, and articulated his appreciation with the role UNHCR is playing in providing assistance to millions of in dire conditions around the world.

On his part, Mr. Michael Gaudé expressed his thanks to the Director General of the Centre for his warm reception, and his willingness to cooperate with SESRIC in research, statistics and training in the field of refugees through exchanging data, information and technical expertise.

The two parties conducted a fruitful discussion and exchanged views and ideas on possible ways and means of enhancing collaboration and cooperation between the two institutions, particularly in the areas of providing statistics on refugees. The two institutions agreed on conducting a joint research project on the state of refugees in OIC member countries.