Within the framework of its Transportation Capacity Building Programme (Transport_CaB), SESRIC successfully organized a webinar on “Developing Sustainable Transportation Strategies for Addressing Climate Change” on 18 December 2024.

Within the framework of the Public Employment Services Capacity Building Programme (PES-CaB) and in line with the OIC Public Employment Services Network (OIC-PESNET) Work Plan 2024-2026, SESRIC, in collaboration with the National Agency for the Promotion of Employment and Skills (ANAPEC) of Kingdom of Morocco, organised a Webinar on “Methodologies for Collecting, Analysing, and Disseminating Statistics on the Labour Market: Countries’ Experiences and Challenges” on 18 December 2024. The webinar brought together 87 experts from Public Employment Institutions of 14 OIC African Member Countries.

SESRIC participated in the Youth Policy Vision Document Workshop, organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Türkiye on 17 December 2024 at the Middle East Technical University (METU), Ankara. Mr. Muzamil EDEMA, Researcher at the Economic and Social Research Department, and Mr. Muhammet Zeki ÇELİK, Technical Cooperation Officer at the Training and Technical Cooperation Department, represented SESRIC thereat.

SESRIC participated in the 20^th Anniversary celebration of the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF), held under the visionary leadership of H.E. Taha AYHAN, President of ICYF. The event provided a platform to commemorate ICYF’s efforts in empowering youth across the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states and fostering their development as key drivers of progress in the region.

Within the framework of the Occupational Safety and Health Capacity Building Programme (OSH-CaB), and in line with the OIC Occupational and Safety Health Network Work Plan 2023-2024, SESRIC, in collaboration with the OIC Labour Centre, has successfully a Webinar on “Improving OSH in Mining Sector” on 17 December 2024.

SESRIC participated in the Cihannüma Istanbul Forum 2024, organised by the Cihannüma Solidarity and Cooperation Association on 13-15 December 2024 in Istanbul, Türkiye.

H.E. Amb. Abdulhamed HAMZA, Representative of the League of Arab States, paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK at SESRIC headquarters in Ankara.

The meeting aimed to explore cooperation areas between SESRIC and the League of Arab States in areas of mutual interest, especially within the framework of the capacity-building initiatives.

Within the framework of SESRIC’s Environment Capacity Building Programme (Environment-CaB), and Disaster Risk Management Capacity Building Programme (DRM-CaB), the Centre, in collaboration with the International Islamic University Malaysia, organised a Webinar on “Post-Crisis Environmental Recovery Measures” on 12 December 2024.

Within the framework of the Social Development Capacity Building Programme (SD-CaB), SESRIC, in collaboration with the Ministry of Family and Social Services of the Republic of Türkiye, organised a webinar on “Navigating Family Challenges: Strengthening Bonds and Building Resilience” on 12 December 2024.

Within the framework of the OIC Occupational Safety and Health Network (OIC-OSHNET) and Occupational Safety and Health Capacity Building Programme (OSH-CaB), SESRIC, in collaboration with the Directorate General of Occupational Safety and Health (DGOSH) under the Ministry of Labour and Social Security of Türkiye organised a training course on “Market Surveillance and Inspection of Personal Protective Equipment” on 11 December 2024 through an online video conference platform.

SESRIC, in collaboration with the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN ESCWA), the International Energy Agency (IEA), and the Arab Institute for Training and Research in Statistics (AITRS), organized a workshop titled “Energy Statistics, Balances, and Accounts for Informed Energy and Climate Policies”. The event was held from 10-12 December 2024 at SESRIC Headquarters in Ankara, Türkiye, with the participation of 38 experts from National Statistical Offices (NSOs) and Energy Ministries of 18 OIC Member Countries.

On the sidelines of the Workshop on “Energy Statistics, Balances, and Accounts for Informed Energy and Climate Policies”, SESRIC, in collaboration with the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN-ESCWA), the Arab Institute for Training and Research in Statistics (AITRS), the International Energy Agency (IEA), and the Turkish Statistical Institute (TURKSTAT), organized a panel discussion titled “The Role of National Statistical Offices in Supporting Data-Driven Energy Transitions” on 10 December 2024 at SESRIC Headquarters in Ankara, Türkiye.

Within the framework of the OIC Occupational Safety and Health Network (OIC-OSHNET) and Occupational Safety and Health Capacity Building Programme (OSH-CaB), SESRIC, in collaboration with the Directorate General of Occupational Safety and Health (DGOSH) under the Ministry of Labour and Social Security of Türkiye organised a training course on “Personal Protective Equipment” on 10 December 2024 through an online video conference platform.

SESRIC, in collaboration with the OIC Standing Committee for Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH), organised an online training course on “Increasing the Production and Supply of Medicines, Vaccines and Medical Technologies in the OIC Member Countries” on 9-10 December 2024. The event was held within the framework of the IbnSina Health Capacity Building (IbnSina-CaB) Programme, and in line with the OIC Strategic Health Programme of Action (OIC SHPA) 2014-2023 as well as the 7th Session of the Islamic Conference of Health Ministers (ICHM).

SESRIC hosted a delegation of Gambian diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, accompanied by a representative from the Diplomacy Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Türkiye, at its Headquarters in Ankara.

SESRIC and the Union of News Agencies (UNA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the sidelines of the 8^th Annual Coordination Meeting of the OIC Institutions (ACMOI), renewing the ongoing collaboration between the two OIC institutions.

SESRIC and the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to achieve common goals towards enhancing institutional capacities in areas of mutual interest.

SESRIC and the Women Development Organization (WDO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen their ongoing cooperation in areas related to women empowerment. The ceremony took place on the sidelines of the 8^th Annual Coordination Meeting of OIC Institutions (ACMOI) held in Jeddah.

Within the framework of the IbnSina Health Capacity Building Programme (IbnSina-CaB), SESRIC, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Kingdom of Morocco and the COMSTECH successfully organised a Training Course on “Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Care in OIC-Africa Countries” on 5-6 December 2024.

The SDMX Regional Training Workshop was organised by the OECD, SESRIC, SDMX, ILO, BIS, and the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye. The workshop took place at the OECD Istanbul Centre in Istanbul, Türkiye, from 4 to 6 December 2024. UN ESCWA, UNICEF, UN ESCAP, and the UNSD have provided additional support for the training workshop.

Within the framework of the OIC Public Employment Service Network (OIC-PESNET) Work Plan 2024-2026 and the Public Employment Services Capacity Building Programme (PES- CaB), SESRIC, in collaboration with the Public Employment Agency under the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population of the Republic of Azerbaijan, organised a Webinar on “Enhancing Vocational Training through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs): Best Practices and Strategies” on 4 December 2024.

SESRIC, in collaboration with the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) within the framework of the IbnSina Health Capacity Building Programme (IbnSina-CaB) organised a webinar on “Epidemiology of Communicable Diseases and the Management of Epidemics in OIC-African Member Countries” on 2 December 2024.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised a Training Course on “Migration and Refugee Statistics” with the participation of 19 experts from the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) and other relevant national institutions of 11 Arabic-speaking OIC countries through an online video conferencing platform.

SESRIC, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education of Malaysia, organised a virtual Training Course on “Designing and Implementing National Vocational Qualifications Framework for TVET Institutions”  within the framework of the Vocational Education and Training Programme for the Member Countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC-VET) and in line with the OIC-TVET Strategic Roadmap 2020-2025.

SESRIC participated in the 10^th World Halal Summit, organised by the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC) under the auspices of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye in collaboration with other relevant OIC institutions on 27-30 November 2024 in Istanbul, Türkiye. The Summit brought together experts, businesses, leaders, and policymakers from across the Halal industry to discuss trends, innovations, and opportunities.

SESRIC participated in the Global Food Security Summit (GFSS), organised under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on 26-27 November 2024. Held under the theme “Together, for Humanity,” GFSS is part of the 3rd Global Food Week (GFW) and promotes global collaboration and innovation to create sustainable solutions for food security. The Summit brought together high-ranking officials, experts, and representatives from more than 70 countries.

SESRIC organised a Training Session on “Integrating OIC Youth Strategy into the National Programmes in OIC Member Countries” in coordination with the General Secretariat of the OIC, and in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Chair of the Islamic Conference on Youth and Sports Ministers (ICYSM), on 25-26 November 2024 at SESRIC Headquarters in Ankara. The Session was organised in line with the Resolution of the 50^th Session of the Council of Foreign Affairs Minister (CFM) held on 29-30 August 2024 in Yaoundé, Republic of Cameroon.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised a Training Course on “SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) Indicators” with the participation of 35 experts from the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) and other relevant national institutions of 7 Arabic-speaking OIC countries through an online video conferencing platform.

SESRIC actively participated in the 24^th Regular Session of the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC), held from November 24–28, 2024, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC, in collaboration with the Turkish Statistical Institute (TURKSTAT), organised a Training Course on “System of National Accounts” on 20-21 November 2024.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK hosted an engaging and productive meeting with distinguished women ambassadors representing OIC member countries in Ankara. The esteemed representatives included H.E. Ms. Noni Zurainah binti Haji ISMI, Ambassador of Brunei Darussalam, H.E. Ms. Salou Adama GAZIBO, Ambassador of Niger, and H.E. Ms. Nusura Omar TIPERU, Ambassador of Uganda.

SESRIC participated in the “4^th Consultative Forum of the Regional Cooperation Organizations in the OIC Region,” jointly organized by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the Islamic Centre for Development of Trade (ICDT) on 19-20 November 2024 in Marrakech, Kingdom of Morocco.

SESRIC organised a Workshop on “Strengthening TVET Strategies to Increase Youth Employment in OIC Member Countries” on 19-20 November 2024 at its headquarters in Ankara, Türkiye. The event was organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Education of Malaysia and the Ministry of National Education of the Republic of Türkiye as part of the SESRIC Project on “Empowering Youth through Enhancing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET): A Pathway to Employment and Success,” funded by the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC) under the 11th Call for Project Proposals.

SESRIC participated in the Seminar on “Malaysia’s Financial Literacy and Financial Planning Experience” held on 19-20 November 2024 in Istanbul, Türkiye. The Seminar was organized by the Finance Office of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye (CBFO), Participation Banks Association of Türkiye (TKBB), and the Malaysian Financial Planning Council (MFPC).

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK addressed the Panel Session on Role of SMEs in Green Economy, held as a side event of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) on 16 November 2024 in Baku. The Session was organised by the Small and Medium Business Development Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (KOBIA) together with the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan.

SESRIC and the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations (SAPSSI) under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 14 November 2024 in Baku, on the sidelines of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29).

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK participated in the Ministerial Forum on Green Good Governance (3G), held as a side event of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) on 14 November 2024 in Baku. The Forum was organised by the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

SESRIC participated in the 11^th Meeting of the Technical Committee of the Arab Statistics (ArabStat) Initiative, organised by the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on 13-14 November 2024. The event was attended by the representatives of the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) and financial authorities of the Fund’s member countries and other relevant international organisations. SESRIC was represented by Mr. Seyid Tahir MHAMUD, Senior Statistics Officer.

SESRIC, in collaboration with the National Agency for Promotion of Employment and Skills (ANAPEC) of the Kingdom of Morocco, organised a Training Course on “Fostering the Utilisation of the Digital Technologies for a Better Employment and Skill Development” on 11-12 November 2024 through an online video conferencing platform. The event was held within the framework of SESRIC’s Public Employment Services Capacity Building Programme (PES-CaB) and in line with the OIC Public Employment Services Network (OIC-PESNET) Work Plan 2024-2026.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC, in collaboration with the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye (CBRT), organised a Training Course on “Monetary and Financial Statistics” on 07-08 November 2024.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK met with H.E. Mr. Rostislav KONYASHKIN, Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry of Kazakhstan, on the sidelines of the 40^th Ministerial Session of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC) in Istanbul, Türkiye.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Mr. Sami SMEIRAT, Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship of Jordan, on the sidelines of the 40^th Ministerial Session of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC) in Istanbul, Türkiye.

On the sidelines of the 40^th Ministerial Session of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC), H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK met with H.E. Mr. Fahmi FADZIL, Minister of Communications and Digital of Malaysia, in Istanbul, Türkiye.

SESRIC participated in the Fourth Experts Group Meeting (IEGM) to discuss the draft "OIC Jeddah Convention on the Rights of the Child in Islam", organized by the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) and the OIC General Secretariat at its headquarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on 5–7 November 2024.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Mr. Mohammad ALAMOUR, Minister of National Economy of the State of Palestine, in Istanbul, Türkiye, on the sidelines of the 40^th Ministerial Session of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC).

The 40^th Ministerial Session of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC) was held in Istanbul, Republic of Türkiye. High-level representatives from the Member and Observer States of the OIC, relevant OIC institutions, as well as other international organisations attended the Session. SESRIC participated in the Session with a delegation led by H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK.

SESRIC participated in the Closing Ceremony and Panel of the Islamic Economy Youth Forum 2024 (IEYF 2024), organised by OIC Youth Indonesia together with Indonesia Sharia Economic Festival (ISEF) and the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF), on 1 November 2024 through a video conferencing platform. Dr. Atilla KARAMAN, Director, represented the Centre thereat.

SESRIC hosted a coordination meeting with the representatives of FAO Subregional Office for Central Asia (FAO-SEC) in Türkiye at its Headquarters in Ankara, to explore potential collaboration opportunities between the two institutions.

Within the framework of its Cotton Capacity Building Programme (Cotton-CaB), SESRIC, in collaboration with the Nazilli Cotton Research Institute (CRI) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Türkiye, organised a Training Course on “Disease Control, Pesticides, Spray Pumps and Fertilizers in Cotton” on 30-31 October 2024 through an online video conferencing platform.

SESRIC, in collaboration with the Turkish Employment Agency (İŞKUR), and Women Development Organization (WDO) organised a virtual Training Course on “Developing Women and Girls’ Employability Skills for Facilitating Labour Market Entry in OIC-Africa Countries” on 30-31 October 2024. The training was held within the framework of SESRIC’s Social Development Capacity Building Programme (SD-CaB) and in line with the 8th Session of the OIC Ministerial Conference on Women Resolution No. 7/8-W, and the 49th OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) Resolution No. 6/49-E.

In line with relevant resolutions of the 39^th Session of the COMCEC, SESRIC organised a Training Course on “Diagnosing and Analysing Markets with High Export Potential for SMEs” on 30-31 October 2024 through an online video conferencing platform.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK welcomed H.E. Ambassador Mehmet PAÇACI, Special Envoy of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary General on Islamophobia, for a bilateral meeting at SESRIC headquarters. The meeting aimed at strengthening intra-OIC collaboration to counter Islamophobia and promote understanding of challenges affecting Muslim communities globally.

SESRIC organised a Workshop on “Promoting Food Security in OIC Member Countries through Sustainable Agricultural Inputs” on 24-25 October 2024 at its headquarters in Ankara, Republic of Türkiye. The event was held within the framework of the SESRIC Project on “Promoting Food Security in OIC Member Countries through Sustainable Agricultural Inputs,” funded by COMCEC and in line with SESRIC’s Agriculture and Food Security Capacity Building Programme (Agri-CaB).

SESRIC participated in the Experience Sharing Session with a focus on Multilateral Islamic Economy Institutions of the Islamic Economy Youth Forum 2024 (IEYF 2024), organised by OIC Youth Indonesia together with Indonesia Sharia Economic Festival (ISEF) and the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF), on 24 October 2024 through a video conferencing platform. Dr. Atilla KARAMAN, Director, represented the Centre thereat.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Dr. Sharifa Noaman AL EMADI, Executive Director of the Doha International Family Institute (DIFI) of Qatar, to discuss and explore collaborative efforts aimed at advancing family and social development across OIC countries. The meeting focused on strengthening institutional ties and identifying joint initiatives in research, capacity building, and training programmes, with an emphasis on family, women, youth, and children.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK met with Dr. Ahmad M. HASNAH, President of Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) in Qatar. This meeting aimed to advance cooperation in several areas, including education, Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), and digital transformation.

Within the framework of the Vocational Education and Training Programme for the Member Countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC-VET) and in line with the OIC-TVET Strategic Roadmap 2020-2025, SESRIC, in collaboration with the Ministry of National Education of Türkiye and the Islamic University of Technology (IUT) successfully organised a Training Course on “Adopting Pertinent Strategies for Upskilling and Reskilling TVET Trainers” on 23-24 October 2024.

On the sidelines of the Doha Data Forum, H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK held a bilateral meeting with His Excellency Abdulaziz bin Nasser bin Mubarak AL KHALIFA, Secretary General of the National Planning Council (NPC) of Qatar. The meeting focused on facilitating collaboration between SESRIC and the NPC in key areas of mutual interest, with emphasis on advancing cooperation in statistics, socio-economic research and capacity building programmes aimed at fostering sustainable development in OIC member countries.

Within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding between Indonesia and Azerbaijan, the Ministry of Manpower of the Republic of Indonesia in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security of the Republic of Türkiye and SESRIC organised a Webinar on “Labour and Employment” on 23 October 2024 through an online video conferencing platform.

SESRIC organised a Training Course on “Navigating Complex Employment Challenges for Public Service Providers” on 22-23 October 2024 through an online video conferencing platform, as part of its Public Employment Services Capacity Building Programme (PES-CaB).

The second edition of the Doha Data Forum was organised with the theme of “Statistics and Data for Innovation in Sustainable Development” on 22-23 October 2024 in Doha, Qatar. The Forum elaborated on the pivotal role that statistics, data analytics, AI, and machine learning play in addressing global sustainability challenges.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK met with H.E. Dr. Ahmed AL SHAIKH, CEO of the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF), to discuss ways in advancing the financial capabilities of OIC countries, with an emphasis on Islamic banking and finance as key drivers of economic development.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK met with H.E. Osama bin Ahmed Khalaf AL ASFOOR, Minister of Social Development of the Kingdom of Bahrain. The meeting centered on enhancing the collaboration between SESRIC and the Ministry of Social Development of Bahrain in capacity building and training programmes aimed at fostering social welfare in OIC countries. The parties also exchanged ideas on ways and means to integrate individuals with disabilities into society.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK and H.E. Mohammed Ali ALQAED, Director General of the Information & eGovernment Authority of the Kingdom of Bahrain, held a bilateral meeting to explore potential areas of cooperation. The meeting focused on strengthening partnerships in the fields of statistics and digital transformation, with a view to building institutional capacity and fostering innovation in these important areas.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK participated in the 49^th Session of the Board of Trustees of the Arab Institute for Training and Research in Statistics (AITRS), held in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain. The session brought together senior officials and heads of statistical agencies from the Arab region to exchange expertise and share best practices aimed at strengthening the statistical capacities of Arab countries, in line with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK participated in a panel discussion organized by the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF) on the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. The event, titled "New Horizons for Poverty Eradication: A Future Pact in the Age of Technology and AI," focused on sustainable strategies to combat poverty, aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the OIC-2025 Programme of Action.

Within the framework of its Poverty Alleviation Capacity Building Programme (PA-CaB), SESRIC, in collaboration with the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), organised a Workshop on “The Potential of Utilizing South-South and Triangular Cooperation Mechanisms towards Alleviating Poverty in the OIC Region” on 16-17 October 2024 through an online video conferencing platform.

SESRIC and the Department of Statistics (DoS) of Jordan formalized their longstanding partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 16 October 2024. The signing ceremony took place at the Headquarters of SESRIC in Ankara, Türkiye, on the sidelines of the 13th Session of the OIC Statistical Commission (OIC-StatCom).

SESRIC, in its capacity as the Secretariat of the OIC Statistical Commission (OIC-StatCom), organized the 13^th Session of the OIC-StatCom in a hybrid format at its Headquarters in Ankara, Republic of Türkiye, on 15-16 October 2024. The session was held in collaboration with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group.

SESRIC and Statistical Centre for the Cooperation Council of the Arab Countries of the Gulf (GCC-STAT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) enhance their efforts in strengthening national statistical systems of the common member countries. The ceremony took place at the Headquarters of SESRIC in Ankara, Türkiye during the 13^th Session of the OIC Statistical Commission (OIC-StatCom).

SESRIC participated in the Second Arab Forum for Tourism Statistics, held on 14-16 October 2024 in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman. The event gathered regional and international experts to discuss tourism statistics, with SESRIC presenting its latest findings on Islamic tourism.

SESRIC participated in the Regional Training of Trainers (ToT) on the Gender Statistics Training Curriculum for Monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), organised by the UN Women Centre of Excellence for Gender Equality (UN Women CoE) and the Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific (SIAP) on 14 - 17 October 2024 in Seoul, Republic of Korea.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Prof. Dr. Mesut ÖZCAN, Director of the Diplomacy Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, to reinforce collaboration in areas of shared goals, with a specific focus on capacity-building programmes.

SESRIC participated in the 12^th Meeting of the OIC/ COMCEC Private Sector Tourism Forum, which was held virtually on 10 October 2024, under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye, with the theme of “Sustainable Destination Development and Management in OIC Countries”.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC, in collaboration with the OIC Labour Centre, the State Statistical Committee (SSC) of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the National Observatory on Labour Market and Social Protection Affairs of Azerbaijan, organized a training course on “Conducting and Analyzing Labour Force Surveys for Monitoring the Labour Market” on 9-10 October 2024, through an online video conferencing platform.

SESRIC hosted a coordination meeting with the Social Security Institution (SGK) of Türkiye at its Headquarters in Ankara, Türkiye, to discuss potential collaboration opportunities between the two institutions.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Anar KARIMOV, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Population of Azerbaijan, on the sidelines of the Azerbaijan Halal Business (AZHAB) Forum, which took place in Baku on 8-9 October 2024.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK participated in the Halal Business Forum (AZHAB) held on 8-9 October 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan. The forum was organised by the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Small and Medium Business Development Agency (KOBIA) in partnership with international organisations such as OIC, SESRIC, SMIIC and ICCD.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Mukhtar BABAYEV, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and President-Designate of 29^th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), on the sidelines of the Azerbaijan Halal Business Forum on 8-9 October 2024 in Baku.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Orkhan MAMMADOV, Chairman of the Small and Medium Business Development Agency (KOBİA) of the Republic of Azerbaijan, on the sidelines of the Azerbaijan Halal Business (AZHAB) Forum, which took place in Baku on 8-9 October 2024.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Bahar MURADOVA, Chairperson of the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, on the sidelines of the Azerbaijan Halal Business (AZHAB) Forum, which took place in Baku on 8-9 October 2024.

SESRIC hosted a Brainstorming Session with the participation of TVET-related Turkish Institutions on 7 October 2024 at its Headquarters in Ankara, as part of the Vocational Education and Training Programme for the Member Countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC-VET).

Within the framework of its Webinar Series on Statistical Experience Sharing and the Doha Data Forum, SESRIC, in collaboration with the National Planning Council (NPC) of the State of Qatar, organized a webinar titled “Data Visualization Techniques for Communicating Sustainability Insights” on 03 October 2024.

SESRIC held a coordination meeting with the Turkish Employment Agency (İŞKUR) on 3 October 2024, at IŞKUR headquarters in Ankara, Türkiye, to strengthen collaboration within the OIC Public Employment Services Network (OIC-PESNET) framework.

Within the framework of its Project titled “Empowering Youth through Enhancing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET): A Pathway to Employment and Success,” SESRIC organised a Training Course on “Enhancing Policies and Strategies for Effective TVET Systems in OIC Member Countries” on 1-3 October 2024. The Project is funded by the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC) under the 11th Call for Project Proposals of the COMCEC Project Funding.

SESRIC participated in the 18^th Meeting of the OIC Exchanges Forum (OICEF), which was held virtually on 1 October 2024.

The SESRIC delegation, led by H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, participated in the First Meeting of the OIC Intergovernmental Expert Group held at the OIC General Secretariat Headquarters in Jeddah Saudi Arabia on 1-3 October 20024 to discuss the draft Programme of Action for the decade 2026-2035.

In its capacity as the Secretariat, the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye organised the 6^th Meeting of the OIC-COMCEC Central Banks Forum, in Istanbul, Türkiye. The meeting gathered 57 governors and senior officials from the Central Banks of 21 OIC countries, along international institutions representatives to discuss the global economic outlook and explore ways to enhance cooperation among OIC countries within the framework of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC) financial cooperation agenda.

Within the framework of its Statistical Experience Sharing Webinar Series, SESRIC organized a Webinar on “Modernization of NSOs through Digitalization” on 26 September 2024. The webinar was conducted in collaboration with representatives from relevant international organizations and the OIC countries.

Within the framework of SESRIC’s Social Security Institutions Capacity Building Programme (SSI-CaB), the Centre organised a Webinar on “Sustainability and Financing Mechanisms for Social Security Institutions”. The Webinar brought together 64 experts and executives from ministries and national institutions across 14 OIC member countries.

SESRIC hosted a panel discussion titled “Strengthening the Role of Data for Policymaking” as part of its Launch Event of the Statistical Yearbook on OIC Member Countries and the new version of the OIC Statistics (OICStat) Database. The event took place on 26 September 2024 at SESRIC’s headquarters in Ankara.

SESRIC participated in the Collaborative Surveillance Working Group (WG) meeting for the Pan-European Network for Disease Control (NDC), which was organised in a hybrid format by the NDC Secretariat of the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe on 26-27 September 2024.

SESRIC hosted a special event at its headquarters in Ankara to officially launch the 2023 edition of the “Statistical Yearbook on OIC Member Countries” and the new version of the OIC Statistics Database (OICStat). The event was attended by the Ambassadors of Bangladesh, Palestine, Mauritania, Sudan, and Saudi Arabia, along with representatives from various embassies and international organizations, researchers, and officials from the relevant Turkish national institutions, notably the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat).

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC, in collaboration with the Turkish Statistical Institute (TURKSTAT), organised a Training Course on “Agriculture Statistics” on 25-26 September 2024.

SESRIC hosted a delegation of young diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait, accompanied by representatives from the Diplomacy Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, at its headquarters in Ankara. The delegation was warmly received by H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General of SESRIC.

SESRIC participated in the 23^rd Meeting of the COMCEC Tourism Working Group, held under the theme of “Developing and Branding Gastronomy Tourism Destinations within OIC” on 24-25 September 2024, in Ankara, Republic of Türkiye.

SESRIC participated in the 23^rd Meeting of the COMCEC Transport and Communications Working Group, held under the theme of “Developing Intelligent Transportation Systems in OIC Member Countries” on 24-25 September 2024, in Ankara, Türkiye.

H.E. Amb. Dr. İrfan NEZİROĞLU, Director General of Support Services at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye and Ambassador Designate of Republic of Türkiye to Islamic Republic of Pakistan, paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK at SESRIC Headquarters in Ankara.

SESRIC held a coordinating meeting with the recently established Council of Competition and Antitrust of the State of Libya to discuss potential areas of cooperation between the two institutions.

Prof. Dr. Murat YÜLEK, Rector of OSTIM Technical University, paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK at the SESRIC Headquarters in Ankara. The meeting underscored the potential for collaboration between OSTIM Technical University and SESRIC, focusing on the fields of higher education, research, and economic development.

SESRIC participated in the “Virtual Symposium on Achieving OIC Goals and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through Strengthening Youth Partnerships”, organized by the OIC General Secretariat and the Ministry of Sports of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on 19 September 2024 to commemorate the OIC Youth Day.

SESRIC participated in the 23^rd Meeting of the COMCEC Trade Working Group, held under the theme of “Improving Quality Infrastructure in the OIC Member Countries” on 19-20 September 2024, in Ankara, Republic of Türkiye.

SESRIC participated in the 23^rd Meeting of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC) Agriculture Working Group, held in Ankara from September 19 to 20, 2024. The meeting centred on the theme “Developing Livestock Production and Fisheries to Enhance Food Security and Promote Sustainable Agricultural Development in OIC Countries”. It gathered representatives from agricultural authorities of OIC member countries, along with representatives from OIC institutions and various international organisations.

Within the framework of the Vocational Education and Training Programme for the Member Countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC-VET) and in line with the OIC-TVET Strategic Roadmap 2020-2025, SESRIC organised a Training of Trainers (ToT) Course on “Cyber Security” on 18-19 September 2024 through an online video conferencing platform.

SESRIC participated in the 23^rd Meeting of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC) Poverty Alleviation Working Group, held on 16-17 September 2024 in Ankara, Republic of Türkiye. The meeting focused on the theme “Alleviating Adverse Effects of Natural Disasters on Poor Segments of Society in the OIC Member Countries”.

SESRIC participated in the 22^nd Meeting of the COMCEC Financial Cooperation Working Group, held with the theme of “Digital Transformation of Payment Systems in the OIC Member Countries” on 16-17 September 2024, in Ankara, Republic of Türkiye.

SESRIC organised a Workshop on “Sustainable Human Resources Management (HRM) Practices: Building Resilience in African Tourism Boards” on 10-11 September 2024 at its Headquarters in Ankara, Republic of Türkiye. This workshop was held within the framework of the COMCEC-funded SESRIC Project on “Strengthening the Capacities of African Tourism Boards through Sustainable Human Resource Management Practices”, and in line with SESRIC’s Tourism Capacity Building Programme (Tourism-CaB).

SESRIC, in collaboration with the International Forum on TOSSD (IFT) Secretariat and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), organized a Capacity Building Webinar on TOSSD for Middle East and North Africa (MENA) on 10 September 2024.

SESRIC and the Ministry of Finance of the State of Kuwait held a virtual coordination meeting to discuss potential areas of cooperation between the two institutions.

H.E. Amb. Isiaka A. IMAM, Secretary General of the Developing Eight Organization for Economic Cooperation (D-8), paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK at the Centre's Headquarters in Ankara. The meeting focused on exploring opportunities for joint initiatives and fostering collaboration between the two institutions, particularly in the fields of research and joint events within the framework of South-South Cooperation.

Within the framework of the Vocational Education and Training Programme for the Member Countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC-VET) and in line with the OIC-TVET Strategic Roadmap 2020-2025, SESRIC, in collaboration with the International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO-UNEVOC) organised a webinar on “Establishing Quality Assurance Mechanisms and Accreditation Systems For TVET Programmes”.

SESRIC participated in the seminar on the Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB) Strategy for Türkiye (2024-2026), held on 5 September 2024 in Ankara, Türkiye. The Seminar was attended by Dr. Issa FAYE, Director General of the IsDB Global Practice & Partnership Directorate; Dr. Walid ABDELWAHAB, Director of the IsDB Regional Hub in Türkiye; H.E. Osman ÇELİK, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Treasury and Finance of the Republic of Türkiye; along with many other government officials, representatives from international financial institutions, and academic institutions.

Ambassador Tarig Ali BAKHEET, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian, Cultural, and Family Affairs of the OIC, visited the SESRIC Headquarters. During the visit, Ambassador BAKHEET held a productive meeting with H.E. Ms. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK held a bilateral meeting with Dr. Issa FAYE, Director General of Global Practices and Partnerships at the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group. The meeting centred on enhancing the longstanding collaboration between SESRIC and IsDB in key areas such as Reverse Linkage Projects, vocational education, women and youth empowerment, climate action, disaster resilience, and food security.

Within the framework of its Central Banks Capacity Building Programme (CB-CaB), SESRIC, in collaboration the COMCEC Coordination Office (CCO), organised a Training Course on “Promoting Participation Finance in the OIC Countries” through an online video conferencing platform. The training course brought together 103 experts and executives from Central Banks, Ministries of Finance and other relevant national institutions across 29 OIC countries.

SESRIC and the Department of Youth and Sports at the OIC General Secretariat held a virtual coordination meeting as part of the preparation of a Training Session on “Integrating OIC Youth Strategy into the National Programmes in OIC Member Countries”. The training session, which will be conducted in collaboration with OIC General Secretariat, SESRIC, and other relevant OIC institutions, aims to provide a deeper understanding and awareness of OIC policies and goals related to youth, especially the OIC Youth Strategy and the OIC-2025 Programme of Action.

The Statistical, Economic, and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) took part in the 50^th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), held in Yaoundé, Cameroon, under the auspices of H.E. Paul BIYA, President of the Republic of Cameroon. The session, convened on August 29, 2024, marked a significant milestone as it coincided with the 50th anniversary of Cameroon’s accession to the OIC.

SESRIC participated in the second meeting of the Collaborative Surveillance Working Group for the Pan-European Network for Disease Control (NDC), which was organised virtually by the NDC Secretariat of the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe on 29 August 2024.

SESRIC organised a Webinar on “Circular Economy for Sustainable Impact Entrepreneurship” on 28 August 2024 through an online video conferencing platform, as part of the Public Employment Services Capacity Building Programme (PES-CaB) and in line with the OIC Public Employment Services Network (OIC-PESNET) Work Plan 2024-2026. The webinar was attended by 39 officials from national Public Employment Services (PES) authorities and related institutions in 8 OIC French-speaking member countries.

Within the framework of the SESRIC Project titled “Promoting Food Security in OIC Member Countries through Sustainable Agricultural Inputs”, which is funded by the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC) under the 11th Call for Project Proposals of the COMCEC Project Funding, SESRIC organised a Training Course on “Advancing Food Security through Sustainable Agricultural Inputs: Strategies and Practices for OIC Member Countries” on 27-29 August 2024, through an online video conferencing platform.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Prof. Dr. Kemal MEMİŞOĞLU, the newly appointed Minister of Health of the Republic of Türkiye. During the meeting, H.E. SELÇUK extended her heartfelt congratulations and wished him success in his new role.

SESRIC participated in an Ad Hoc Meeting on Mpox, organized virtually by the Pan-European Network for Disease Control (NDC) Secretariat of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe on 22 August 2024.

SESRIC participated in the Third Kazan Global Youth Summit, held on 22–23 August 2024 in Kazan, Tatarstan. The event was co-organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs of the Republic of Tatarstan and the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF). The Summit was attended by high-level policymakers, representatives of the Ministry of Youth, the General Secretariat of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), relevant OIC organs and youth delegates from the OIC countries and beyond.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK met with H.E. Bassam Ahmed MARZOOQ, Ambassador of Kingdom of Bahrain in Ankara. The meeting aimed to explore new avenues of collaboration with the national institutions of Bahrain.

H.E. Mr. Taha AYHAN, President of the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF), paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK at the SESRIC HQs in Ankara. The visit served as a platform to reinforce the existing collaboration between SESRIC and ICYF, with a strong emphasis on exploring new avenues for cooperation aimed at empowering youth across the OIC region.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC, in collaboration with the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat), organised a Training Course on “National Statistical Coordination” with the participation of 87 participants from the National Statistical Offices and other governmental organizations of 30 OIC countries through an online video conferencing platform.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised a Training Course on “Price Statistics” on 13-14 August 2024 with the participation of 88 experts from the National Statistical Offices and other governmental organizations of 31 OIC countries through an online video conferencing platform.

SESRIC participated in the symposium on "Palestinian Women and Girls: Challenges and Resilience", hosted virtually by the Women Development Organization (WDO) on 12 August 2024. The symposium brought together global leaders, experts, and advocates to address the impact of the ongoing conflict on Palestinian women and girls, explore potential solutions, and discuss support mechanisms.

SESRIC held a meeting with a delegation from the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Organisation of Türkiye (KOSGEB), at its Headquarters in Ankara. The visit aimed to explore potential areas of collaboration to support and empower SMEs in OIC countries.

SESRIC, in collaboration with the Ministry of National Development Planning (BAPPENAS) of the Republic of Indonesia and the Islamic Centre for Development of Trade (ICDT), organised a virtual Workshop on “Islamic Digital Economy in OIC Member Countries” on 5-6 August 2024 within the framework of its Digital Capacity Building (Digi-CaB) and Halal Capacity Building (Halal-CaB) Programmes.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Prof. Noura Zaid ALRSHOUD, Executive Director of the Secretariat of the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission of OIC, on the sidelines of the 52^nd Session of the Permanent Finance Committee held on 31 July-03 August 2024 at OIC Headquarters in Jeddah.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK engaged in bilateral discussions with H.E. Mr. Muhammad Suleiman Aba AL KHAYL, Executive Director of the Islamic Solidarity Fund (ISF), on the sidelines of the 52^nd Session of the Permanent Finance Committee held on 31 July-03 August 2024 at OIC Headquarters in Jeddah. The meeting aimed at exploring cooperation areas for enhancing development initiatives for the benefit of OIC countries.

Within the framework of the Water Resources Management Capacity Building Program (Water-CaB), SESRIC, in collaboration with Turkish Water Institute and Istanbul Technical University organised a workshop on “Evaluating the Potential of Membrane Technologies for Desalination and Wastewater Recycling in OIC Countries” on 31 July – 1 August 2024 through an online video conferencing platform. The workshop brought together 101 experts and executives from the National Water Resources Authorities of 26 OIC countries.

SESRIC hosted a group of 15 students from 9 OIC Member Countries, currently studying at Ankara Yıldırım Beyazit University (AYBU). The Centre regularly welcomes groups of university students to enrich their understanding of the activities of SESRIC in statistics, research, and training, and contribution of SESRIC to the socio-economic development of the member countries.

In alignment with the resolutions of the 12^th Session of the Islamic Conference of Tourism Ministers held in Khiva on 31 May - 2 June 2024 and within the framework of SESRIC’s Tourism Capacity Building Programme (Tourism-CaB), SESRIC, in collaboration with the Islamic Centre for Development of Trade (ICDT), successfully organised a Webinar on “Enhancing the Competitiveness of Halal Tourism in the OIC Member Countries”.

SESRIC participated in the Training on “The Development of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in the Agricultural Sector of the OIC Countries”, organised by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Gambia in collaboration with and support of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC) on 29 July – 1 August 2024 in Banjul, the Gambia.

A SESRIC delegation, led by H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, participated in the 46^th Session of the Islamic Commission for Economic and Social Affairs (ICECS) held on 28-30 July 2024 at the OIC Headquarters in Jeddah. The 46^th Session of the ICECS was attended by the delegates from the OIC countries and representatives of the relevant OIC institutions, working in the domains of economy, education, health, science and technology, culture, social, family and youth affairs.

SESRIC and the Participation Banks Association of Türkiye (TKBB) have formalized their partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This MoU, signed by H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, and H.E. Mr. Ismail VURAL, Secretary General of TKBB, signifies a pivotal advancement in the collaborative efforts between the two institutions towards enhancing Islamic finance capacity and promoting sustainable economic development across the OIC region. The signing ceremony took place at SESRIC Headquarters in Ankara.

SESRIC participated in the Kick-off meeting for the Collaborative Surveillance Working Group for the Pan-European Network for Disease Control (NDC), which was organised virtually by the NDC Secretariat of the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe on 26 July 2024.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Zhakupova Svetlana KABYKENOVNA, Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Kazakhstan, on the sidelines of the UN-OIC General Meeting on Cooperation on 22-24 July 2024 in Astana.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK engaged in bilateral discussions with H.E. Sayasat NURBEK, Minister of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan, on the sidelines of the UN-OIC General Meeting on Cooperation on 22-24 July 2024 in Astana.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK met with H.E. Maxat TURLUBAYEV, Head of the Bureau of National Statistics (QazStat) of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of the Republic of Kazakhstan, in Astana at the House of Ministries. The meeting focused on increasing the scope of collaboration between QazStat and SESRIC.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC, in collaboration with the Badan Pusat Statistik (BPS - Statistics Indonesia), organised a Training Course on “Social Protection Statistics” on 23-25 July 2024.

Within the framework of the SESRIC project titled “Strengthening the Capacities of African Tourism Boards through Sustainable Human Resource Management Practices”, which is funded by the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC) under the 11th Call for Project Proposals of the COMCEC Project Funding, the Centre organised a Training Course on “Enhancing Tourism Competitiveness through Sustainable HRM Practices in OIC African Member States” on 23-25 July 2024, through an online video conferencing platform.

SESRIC participated in a virtual forum titled "Sustainable Destinations: Inspiring Leadership for Responsible Tourism," on July 23, 2024. This event was jointly organized by the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Development (ICCD) and Destination Events.

In a productive bilateral meeting on 23 July 2024 in Astana, H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, and H.E. Amb. Berik ARYN, Director General of the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS), discussed ways to strengthen cooperation between SESRIC and IOFS.

SESRIC participated in the First Meeting of the Steering Committee on Youth and Sports of the Islamic Conference of Youth and Sports Ministers (ICYSM), organized virtually by the Ministry of Sports of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Chair of the 5th Session of the ICYSM.

The 16^th Session of the UN-OIC General Meeting on Cooperation was held on 22-24 July 2024 in Astana and was hosted by the Islamic Organisation for Food Security (IOFS). The meeting brought together high-level representatives from the Secretariats of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the United Nations (UN) as well as their specialized agencies and institutions.

On the sidelines of the UN-OIC General Meeting on Cooperation held on 22-24 July 2024 in Astana, H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK met with H.E. Khaled KHIARI, UN Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia, and the Pacific at the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs. The meeting focused on exploring ways to enhance cooperation between the two institutions in areas of mutual interest.

SESRIC’s delegation convened with the Agriculture and Rural Development Support Institution (TKDK/ARDSI) at their headquarters to discuss potential collaboration, focusing on agriculture and rural development. The ARDSI located in Ankara, Türkiye, is a relevant organization of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, founded in 2007 as a public institution and accredited by the European Commission in 2011, ARDSI has been implementing Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance Rural Development (IPARD) Programme.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK came together with Mr. Mohamad Hafiz KASSIM, Chief Financial Officer of the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) of Malaysia, in Kuala Lumpur to discuss potential collaboration opportunities in the field of social security. The meeting was in line with SESRIC’s initiative to establish the OIC Social Security Institutions Network (OIC-SSINET), which aims to enhance cooperation among social security institutions in the OIC Member Countries.

Within the framework of the SESRIC Water Resources Management Capacity Building Program (Water-CaB), and in collaboration with the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS), the Centre organised a two-day workshop on “Water Governance and Integrated Water Management for Lake Chad Basin Countries”. The purpose of the workshop was to enhance knowledge, skills and increased collaboration among OIC member countries, particularly in water governance and integrated water management in the Lake Chad Basin region.

SESRIC, the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) held a virtual meeting on 16 July 2024 to discuss organizing a joint workshop on “Energy Statistics, Balance, and Accounts for Informed Energy and Climate Policies”.

A bilateral meeting was held between H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK and H.E. Fadhlina SIDEK, Minister of Education of Malaysia, on the sidelines of the World Association of Public Employment Services Asia-Pacific Regional Conference (WAPES APRC) 2024 in Kuala Lumpur. They discussed enhancing cooperation in education, particularly focusing on the Technical and Vocational Education and Training programme (TVET), aiming to expand opportunities for skills development and educational exchanges.

On the sidelines of the World Association of Public Employment Services Asia-Pacific Regional Conference (WAPES APRC) 2024 in Kuala Lumpur, H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK met with H.E. Ybhg. Dato’ Roslan Tan Sri ABDUL RAHMAN, Secretary General of Malaysia’s Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture of Malaysia. The meeting focused on exploring opportunities to enhance cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

The World Association of Public Employment Services Asia-Pacific Regional Conference (WAPES APRC) 2024 was hosted by Malaysia’s Social Security Organisation (PERKESO) and the World Association of Public Employment Services (WAPES) in Kuala Lumpur. This year’s theme, “Mitigating Future Skills Gaps: Progressing into a Digital World of Work”, drew over 150 attendees including policymakers, business executives, and research academics.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised a Workshop on “Business Demography and Entrepreneurship Statistics” on 16-17 July 2024 with the attendance of 54 participants from the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) of 20 OIC countries. The Workshop was conducted in collaboration with the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), and the United Nations Statistical Division (UNSD) through an online video conferencing platform.

SESRIC and the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF) held a follow-up meeting, following the signing of their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 14 June 2024 in Istanbul, Türkiye. The meeting aimed to explore potential areas of collaboration in banking, finance, and related areas.

SESRIC and the Halal Accreditation Agency of the Republic of Türkiye (HAK) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalise their ties and collaboration in knowledge exchange, competencies enhancement, and best practices within the Halal domain and relevant areas. The MoU aims to foster collaborative efforts in developing and implementing initiatives to support halal quality infrastructure in the OIC countries. The signing ceremony took place at SESRIC Headquarters in Ankara, Türkiye.

SESRIC, in collaboration with the Small and Medium Business Development Agency (KOBİA) of the Republic of Azerbaijan, successfully organised a Workshop on “Empowering MSMEs in OIC Member Countries through Green Climate Finance”. The event, held within the framework of SESRIC’s Social Development Capacity Building Programme (SD-CaB) and the Vocational Education and Training Programme for the OIC Member Countries (OIC-VET), brought together 124 experts, executives and academics from TVET National Focal Points and relevant agencies/authorities and national institutions in 30 OIC countries.

SESRIC, in collaboration with the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS), organised a Webinar on “Digitalisation in Food Security and Agriculture”, within the framework of SESRIC’s Agriculture and Food Security Capacity Building Programme (Agri-CaB) and Digital Capacity Building Programme (Digi-CaB).

SESRIC and the OIC Labour Centre signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to exchange knowledge, best practices, and expert competencies in labour, public employment services, social protection, and other relevant areas. The MoU also aims to promote effective participation in these fields among OIC countries. The signing ceremony took place at the SESRIC Headquarters in Ankara, Türkiye.

In support of its ongoing efforts to promote care work, SESRIC participated in a Side Event to the Meeting of Ministers of Employment and Labour of the G20 Countries. The event on “Advancing Measurement of Care Work and the Care Economy”, which was hosted by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), gathered National Statistical Organisations (NSOs) from G20 member countries to address critical issues surrounding the measurement of care work and the care economy.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK paid a courtesy visit to Prof. Dr. Necdet ÜNÜVAR, Rector of Ankara University. The meeting focused on exploring potential collaborations between SESRIC and Ankara University in the realm of socio-economic research and other areas of mutual interest.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Amb. Saleh Bin Hamad AL SUHAIBANI, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), in Jeddah. The meeting underlined SESRIC's continuous commitment to fostering cooperation among OIC countries through its diverse capacity-building programs.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Amb. Aftab Ahmad KHOKHER, the newly appointed Assistant Secretary-General for Science & Technology of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). H.E. SELÇUK congratulated H.E. KHOKHER on assuming his new role, which officially commenced on 1 July 2024.

Within the framework of the SESRIC Tourism Capacity Building Programme (Tourism-CaB), SESRIC, in collaboration with the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), organised a Webinar on “Developing Effective Digital Marketing Tourism Strategies in the OIC Member Countries”.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK and H.E. Amb. Salim Mohamed Khalifa AL BUSAIDI, Permanent Representative of Oman to the OIC, engaged in a fruitful discussion in Jeddah. The meeting highlighted the robust partnership between SESRIC and various Omani institutions, focusing on statistical activities and future cooperation in statistics, research, and training.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK met with H.E. Prof. Dato Dr. Koutoub MOUSTAPHA, Secretary General of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA), at the IIFA Headquarters in Jeddah. This high-level meeting marked a significant step in fostering collaboration between SESRIC and IIFA.

Within the framework of the Vocational Education and Training Programme for the Member Countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC-VET) and in line with the OIC-TVET Strategic Roadmap 2020-2025, SESRIC, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (MoECRT) of the Republic of Indonesia, organised a Webinar on “Vocational Education in Business and Industry”.

SESRIC participated in the Symposium on “Jerusalem and the Gaza War: Palestinian Identity and Existence under Threat of Erasure” in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The Symposium was organised by the OIC in collaboration with the United Nations’ Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP).

SESRIC participated in the 23^rd Regular Session of the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) held at the OIC General Secretariat in Jeddah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. As part of this session, the OIC IPHRC organised a thematic debate on the “Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Human Rights: Challenges and Opportunities”. The main objectives of the debate were to foster awareness among OIC countries about the effects of AI on human rights by engaging with various subject-matter experts and stakeholders in this field, sharing views, and identifying challenges related to human rights in this context.

SESRIC’s delegation convened with the FAO Sub-regional Office for Central Asia (FAO-SEC) at their headquarters to discuss potential collaboration, focusing on agriculture and food security. The FAO Subregional Office for Central Asia (FAO-SEC) in Ankara, Türkiye, was established in 2006 to better address the priority needs of Central Asian countries-Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. 

SESRIC participated in the OIC International Youth Forum on 27-28 June 2024, hosted by the Youth Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Samarkand. The forum aimed to provide a platform for exchanging innovative ideas and engaging in meaningful discussions, fostering unity among youth from OIC countries in pursuit of common goals for peace, brotherhood, and progress.

Mr. Deodat MAHARAJ, Director of the United Nations Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries, paid a visit to SESRIC to explore potential collaborative opportunities between the two institutions and enhance capacity building and sustainable development within the OIC region.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised a Training Course on “SDG 1 (No Poverty) Indicators” on 25-27 June 2024 with the participation of 14 experts from the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) and relevant national authorities of 10 Arabic-speaking countries of the OIC through an online video conferencing platform.

Within the framework of the Vocational Education and Training Programme for the Member Countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC-VET) and in line with the OIC-TVET Strategic Roadmap 2020-2025, SESRIC, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education Malaysia, TVET Division, organised a Webinar on “Fostering Collaboration between Private and Public Sectors towards Efficient TVET Systems”.

SESRIC held a follow-up meeting with the Central Bank of the Republic of The Gambia to explore opportunities for collaboration in banking, finance, and related areas. This meeting followed a bilateral meeting that took place on 3 May 2024 in Banjul, The Gambia, between H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General of SESRIC, and H.E. Buah SAIDY, Governor of the Central Bank of The Gambia (CBG).

Dr. Ahmet Abdullah ANTALYALI, President of the Agriculture and Rural Development Support Institution (TKDK/ARDSI), paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK to explore joint initiatives in agriculture and rural development between the two institutions.

SESRIC hosted a group of 32 students from 14 OIC countries, currently studying at Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli (AHBV) University, at its headquarters. The Centre regularly welcomes students from esteemed universities in member countries to enrich their understanding of SESRIC’s activities in the areas of statistics, research, and training, and its contribution to the development of OIC countries.

H.E. Amb. Prof. Dr. Mahmud Erol KILIÇ, Director General of the Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA), paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK at the SESRIC Headquarters.

SESRIC and the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to foster enhanced cooperation in Istanbul, Türkiye. Signed by H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK and H.E. Dr. Ahmed AL SHAIKH, Chief Executive Officer of BIBF, this MoU aims to establish a framework for cooperation and enhance collaboration between the parties in areas of mutual interest.

SESRIC held a meeting with the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs of the Republic of Indonesia to explore potential cooperation, particularly in the areas of cooperatives and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Salih TANRIKULU to congratulate him on his recent appointment as the Chairman of the State Supervisory Council of the Republic of Türkiye. H.E. TANRIKULU also serves as a distinguished member of the Board of Directors of SESRIC.

SESRIC, in collaboration with the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS), organised a Webinar on “Addressing Risk & Prevention Measures of Livestock Sector” within the framework of Agriculture and Food Security Capacity Building (Agri-CaB) Programme. The webinar aimed to highlight the role of livestock in sustainable development, discuss challenges and potentials in OIC countries, address environmental impacts, and promote green policies for sustainable livestock development.

Within the framework of its Central Banks Capacity Building Programme (CB-CaB), SESRIC, in collaboration the COMCEC Coordination Office (CCO) and Bank Indonesia (BI), organised a Training Course on “Halal Value Chain” through an online video conferencing platform.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC, in collaboration with the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) of the Arab Republic of Egypt, organised a Training Course on “Population and Housing Censuses” on 11-13 June 2024 with the participation of 23 experts from the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) of 8 Arabic speaking OIC countries through an online video conferencing platform.

The Third Ministerial Meeting of the Trade Preferential System among the Member Countries of the OIC (TPS-OIC) Trade Negotiating Committee (TNC), hosted by the Republic of Türkiye, was held in İstanbul on 10-11 June 2024. Ministers and senior officials representing 42 OIC Member States that are party to the TPS-OIC, as well as relevant OIC and regional intergovernmental organisations, participated in the meeting. The SESRIC delegation, headed by H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, attended the two-day meeting.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC, in collaboration with the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye (CBRT), organised a Training Course on “Banking, Insurance and Financial Market Statistics” on 10-11 June 2024, in Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan.

SESRIC participated in the Second Inter-Regional Expert Meeting on Measuring South-South Cooperation virtually. The meeting was organized as a hybrid event by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the UN Regional Commissions for West Asia (ESCWA), Africa (ECA), Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the UN Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB).

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Dr. Mehmet DİNÇ, the recently elected President of the Turkish Green Crescent Society. H.E. SELÇUK extended her heartfelt congratulations to Dr. DİNÇ on his new role.

SESRIC participated in the Shusha OIC Youth Capital Opening Ceremony, held in Shusha on 4-5 June 2024. The event was organised by the Ministry of Youth and Sport of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF).

The 12^th Session of the Islamic Conference of Tourism Ministers (ICTM) was held on 31 May - 2 June 2024 in Khiva, Republic of Uzbekistan, which was selected as the OIC City of Tourism for 2024 by the 11^th Session of the ICTM. The 12^th Session of the ICTM was hosted by the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Tourism Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and organized in collaboration with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The Conference provided Member States with the opportunity to explore innovative strategies for promoting sustainable tourism practices, fostering intra-OIC tourism, and enhancing cooperation in tourism development efforts.

SESRIC held a meeting with a delegation from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Türkiye Country Office, led by Mr. Miodrag DRAGISIC, Deputy Resident Representative, at its Headquarters in Ankara. The visit aimed to explore potential areas of collaboration following a bilateral meeting between the heads of both institutions in March 2024.

Within the framework of SESRIC’s Social Development Capacity Building Programme (SD-CaB), SESRIC, in collaboration with the International Labor Organization (ILO), organised a Webinar on “Good Practices in Preventing Discrimination at Work and Forced Labour”.

Within the framework of the Vocational Education and Training Programme for the Member Countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC-VET) and in line with the OIC Technical and Vocational Education and Training (OIC-TVET) Strategic Roadmap 2020-2025, SESRIC organised an Online Training Course on “Enhancing the Competency-based Approach in TVET Curricula and Assessments”.

SESRIC facilitated a meeting between the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population of Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Manpower of the Republic of Indonesia, recognizing the mutual benefits of exploring collaboration on key labour issues.

SESRIC and the International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO-UNEVOC) convened virtually to discuss and explore potential collaborations and joint initiatives. The meeting between the two institutions focused on feasible partnership for capacity building activities, especially for Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) in all possible sectors.

Within the framework of the Regional Project on “Sustainable Development of Tourism in a Network of Cross-Border National Parks and Protected Areas” and under SESRIC’s Tourism Capacity Building Programme (Tourism-CaB), SESRIC, in collaboration with the Islamic Centre for Development of Trade (ICDT), successfully organised an online Workshop on “Developing Sustainable Ecotourism in West African OIC Member Countries”.

SESRIC participated in the Global Forum on Islamic Economics and Finance (GFIEF) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, during 28-29 May 2024. The Forum was organized by the Ministry of Finance Malaysia and Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) in collaboration with the Securities Commission Malaysia, Labuan Financial Services Authority, the International Islamic Liquidity Management Corporation, the Islamic Development Bank, the Islamic Financial Services Board and the World Bank Group. The event was a continuation to the 15^th International Conference on Islamic Economics and Finance (ICIEF) recently held in Kuala Lumpur, a platform established since 1976 for intellectual discourses to advance Islamic economics and finance in Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries.

SESRIC held a virtual meeting with Indonesian national institutions to explore potential cooperation in the area of alternative sustainable and renewable energy.

SESRIC held a virtual meeting with the Agency for Sustainable and Operational Social Security (DOST) of the Republic of Azerbaijan to explore collaboration in statistics, economic and social research, and training programmes.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELCUK participated in the 1^st AlBaraka Summit convened in Istanbul on 24-25 May 2024. The Summit was organised by AlBaraka Forum for Islamic Economy in partnership with the Investment Office of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye, the Istanbul Financial Center (IFC), the Türkiye Wealth Fund (TWF), Ibn Haldun University, and Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF) under the theme “Global Prospects for Islamic Economics: Fundamentals and Needs”. With thematic panels, discussion sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities, the Summit attracted over 1500 participants from 75 countries, providing valuable insights and opportunities to interact with community leaders in the field.

SESRIC welcomed Prof. Zulfiqar ALI, Director of Programmes & Project Department at the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) at its Headquarters in Ankara on 23 May 2024.

An Indonesian Ministerial delegation, led by Mr. Arianto Christian HARTONO, Coordinator of International Economic Cooperation of the Ministry of National Development Planning of the Republic of Indonesia (BAPPENAS), paid a courtesy visit to SESRIC Headquarters in Ankara, Turkiye. The delegation included representatives from BAPPENAS, the Ministry of Cooperative and Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs), and Ministry of Trade of Indonesia. The visit aimed to enhance cooperation between SESRIC and Indonesian national institutions and to explore potential new areas of collaboration in addition to the existing ones.

SESRIC, the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) held a virtual technical meeting to advance the Collaborative on Administrative Data (CAD) initiative. The meeting aimed to establish new priorities for CAD, identifying potential collaborations, and initiate joint efforts to enhance the integration of administrative data into statistical production within the OIC region.

SESRIC participated in the 40^th Meeting of the Follow-up Committee of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC). The meeting aimed to review the implementation of the COMCEC Strategy and the OIC-2025 Programme of Action, and to address cooperation areas, including intra-OIC trade, private sector development, financial cooperation, transport and communications, tourism, agriculture, poverty alleviation, and digital transformation.

Within the framework of its Stock Exchanges Capacity Building Programme (SE-CaB), SESRIC, in collaboration with Borsa Istanbul, the Secretariat of the OIC Exchanges Forum (OICEF), organised an Online Training Course on “Harnessing Digitalization and AI for the Advancement of OIC Stock Exchanges”.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC, in collaboration with the National Health Institute (INSP) of the Ministry of Health of Tunisia, organised a Training Course on “Health Statistics” with the participation of 10 experts from the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) and Ministries of Health of 6 French speaking OIC countries through an online video conferencing platform.

SESRIC participated in the first meetings of the General Assembly and Steering Group of the International Forum on TOSSD (IFT), hosted by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) in Oslo.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC, in collaboration with the Turkish Statistical Institute (TURKSTAT), organised a Training Course on “Labour Statistics” on 20-21 May 2024.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised an Online Training Course on “SDG 5 (Gender Equality) Indicators” with the participation of 17 experts from the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) and relevant national authorities of 7 Arabic-speaking countries of the OIC.

SESRIC and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) convened virtually on 17 May 2024, for a coordination meeting aimed at exploring potential collaborations and joint initiatives. Among the prospective collaborations discussed were capacity building programmes related to environment.

On the margins of the High-Level Regional Seminar on Promoting Cancer Awareness and Advocacy Programme in Abuja, H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK met with H.E. Prince Adeyemi ADENIRAN, the Statistician General of the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The meeting aimed to strengthen and expand the collaborative efforts between the NBS and SESRIC.

SESRIC participated in the 44^th Meeting of the Sessional Committee of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC). The objective of the meeting was to review and coordinate the activities and programmes of OIC institutions and to report to COMCEC Sessions.

The “High-Level Regional Seminar on Promoting Cancer Awareness and Advocacy Programmes in OIC African Member States” was held in Abuja, Nigeria on 15-16 May 2024 under the auspices of H.E. Senator Oluremi TINUBU, First Lady of Nigeria, and was organised by the @OIC_OCI General Secretariat in collaboration with relevant OIC institutions and international organizations to address the critical challenges of cancer burden in the OIC Countries, particularly in Africa. The seminar aimed to facilitate the sharing of regional best practices and promote coordination mechanisms in cancer registry, control planning, and implementation.

Within the framework of the SESRIC Agriculture and Food Security Capacity Building Programme (Agri-CaB), the Centre, in collaboration with the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) and the National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE) of Pakistan, organised a Training Course on “Genetic Engineering and Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)” on 14-15 May 2024 through an online video conferencing platform.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK and H.E. Dr. Ahmad Kawesa SENGENDO, OIC Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Affairs, engaged in a fruitful discussion at the OIC Headquarters in Jeddah. The meeting served as a platform to exchange insights on innovative approaches to drive socio-economic development in OIC countries.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK engaged in a fruitful discussion with H.E. Amb. Tarig ALI BAKHEET, OIC Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian, Cultural, and Social Affairs, at the OIC Headquarters in Jeddah.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK met with H.E. Amb. Yusron Bahauddin AMBARY, Permanent Representative of Indonesia to the OIC, in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The meeting focused on exploring opportunities to expand cooperation in various areas of mutual interest.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK met with H.E. Mr. Liaquat Ali WARRAICH, Acting Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the OIC on 12 May 2024 in Jeddah. The meeting served as a platform to reaffirm the strong and continuing partnership between SESRIC and national institutions of Pakistan.

SESRIC and the Small and Medium Business Development Agency (KOBİA) of the Republic of Azerbaijan formalised their partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 8 May 2024 in Ankara.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Yerkebulan SAPIYEV, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Republic of Türkiye. The meeting aimed to expand cooperation and explore new avenues of collaboration.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK engaged in a bilateral meeting with H.E. Noni Zurainah binti Haji ISMI, Ambassador of Brunei Darussalam to Türkiye, to strengthen cooperation between SESRIC and relevant national institutions and stakeholders in Brunei.

SESRIC hosted a delegation of young diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Palestine, accompanied by representatives from Diplomacy Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Türkiye, at its Headquarters in Ankara. The delegation was warmly received by H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General of SESRIC.

SESRIC participated in the 22^nd Meeting of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC) Transport and Communications Working Group, held virtually on 6 May 2024. The meeting focused on the theme “Developing Intelligent Transportation Systems in OIC Member Countries”. It brought together relevant representatives from transport and communications authorities of the OIC countries and relevant OIC institutions.

SESRIC participated in the 22^nd Meeting of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC) Trade Working Group, held virtually on 6 May 2024. The meeting focused on the theme “Improving Quality Infrastructure in the OIC Member Countries”. It brought together 46 representatives from relevant national public and private institutions of 18 OIC Countries, as well as international and regional organisations.

The SESRIC delegation, led by H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, attended the 15th Session of the Islamic Summit Conference in Banjul which was held under the theme “Enhancing Unity and Solidarity through Dialogue for Sustainable Development”. The SESRIC delegation engaged in strategic discussions and fostered partnerships that support the socio-economic development of the OIC Member Countries.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Buah SAIDY, Governor of the Central Bank of The Gambia (CBG) ahead of the OIC Banjul Summit. The meeting aimed to enhance cooperation between the two institutions and harness collective expertise towards the advancement of economic and financial knowledge in Gambia.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Haddy Jatou SEY, Minister of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) of Gambia. The meeting aimed to explore possible cooperation areas between SESRIC and MoBSE towards contributing to the capacity development in education sector of Gambia.

Ahead of the OIC Banjul Summit, H.E. Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk, Director General of SESRIC, held a meeting with H.E. Nyakassi M.B. SANYANG, Statistician General of the Gambia Bureau of Statistics (GBOS). The meeting aimed to strengthen ongoing collaborative efforts between the two esteemed institutions in the field of statistical research and analysis.

SESRIC participated in the 22^nd Meeting of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC) Tourism Working Group, held virtually on 2 May 2024. The meeting, which brought together 47 representatives from 13 OIC member countries’ relevant national public and private institutions as well as international and regional organisations responsible for tourism, focused on the theme “Developing and Branding Gastronomy Tourism Destinations within OIC”.

SESRIC participated in the 22^nd Meeting of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC) Poverty Alleviation Working Group, held virtually on 2 May 2024. The meeting focused on the theme “Alleviating Adverse Effects of Natural Disasters on Poor Segments of Society in the OIC Member Countries”.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK met with H.E. Demba SABALLY, Minister of Agriculture of The Gambia. The meeting, held on 2^nd May 2024 ahead of OIC Banjul Summit, aimed to fortify collaboration in the agricultural sector between SESRIC and The Gambia.

A delegation from SESRIC participated in the inauguration of the "ICDT Invest Days Gambia." The event, attended by H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK convened in Banjul, The Gambia, on the sidelins of the 15^th Session of the OIC Summit Conference, held on 04-05 May 2024.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK met with H.E. Dr. Ahmadou Lamin SAMATEH, Minister of Health of The Gambia ahead of the OIC Banjul Summit. The meeting aimed to identify areas of possible collaboration between SESRIC and Ministry of Health (MoH) of Gambia.

Within the framework of its Webinar Series on Statistical Experience Sharing, SESRIC organized a Webinar on “Monitoring Health for SDGs in the Post-COVID-19 Era” on 30 April 2024. The webinar was conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), World Bank (WB), the BPS Statistics of Indonesia, Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) and Ministry of Health of Türkiye.

SESRIC participated in the 22^nd Meeting of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC) Agriculture Working Group, which was held virtually on 30 April 2024. The meeting focused on the theme “Developing Livestock Production and Fishery to Foster Food Security for Sustainable Agricultural Development in OIC Countries”. It brought together relevant representatives from the agriculture authorities of the OIC countries and OIC institutions including the Standing Committee for Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) and the Islamic Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (ICCIA).

SESRIC held a virtual coordination meeting with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (MoECRT) of the Republic of Indonesia and Islamic Organisation for Food Security (IOFS) on 30 April 2024. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss collaborative efforts in implementing the matrix of agreed actions from the 7^th Annual Meeting of OIC Institutions (7th ACMOI) on Training of Trainers for Digital Skill Development.

SESRIC participated in the 21^st Meeting of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC) Financial Cooperation Working Group, which was held virtually on 30 April 2024. The meeting focused on the theme “Digital Transformation of Payment Systems in OIC Member Countries”. It brought together relevant representatives from the financial authorities of the OIC countries and relevant OIC institutions.

On the sidelines of the 2024 Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group Annual Meetings and the Commemoration of its 50^th Anniversary held in Riyadh, H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK engaged in a bilateral meeting with Ms. Dima Al-Khatib, Director of the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC). The meeting aimed to explore additional areas of cooperation concerning South-South and Triangular Cooperation for sustainable development between the two institutions.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Nasser Ayman AL-MAJALI, Secretary General of the Islamic Solidarity Sports Association (ISSA) on the sidelines of the 2024 Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group Annual Meetings and commemoration of the IsDB Group’s 50^th Anniversary held in Riyadh.

A SESRIC delegation, led by H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK participated in the 2024 Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group Annual Meetings under the theme “Cherishing our Past and Charting our Future” and the Golden Jubilee celebration of the IsDB Group’s 50^th Anniversary in Riyadh.

Dr. Saqlain JAVED, Deputy Executive Director of IPHRC and Mr. Hacı Ali AÇIKGÜL, Vice Chairman of IPHRC, paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General of SESRIC. The meeting aimed to strengthen the existing partnership between SESRIC and IPHRC in areas of mutual interest.

H.E. Mohammad Hassan HABIBOLLAH ZADEH, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Republic of Türkiye, paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK at SESRIC Headquarters. During the visit, they explored opportunities for collaboration on capacity-building and technical cooperation initiatives between SESRIC and the national institutions of Iran.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised a Training Course on “SDG 4 (Quality Education) Indicators” on 24-25 April 2024 with the participation of 57 experts from the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) and Ministries of Education of 18 OIC countries through an online video conferencing platform.

Within the framework of the SESRIC Halal Capacity Building Programme (Halal-CaB), the Centre, in collaboration with the Ministry of National Development Planning of the Republic of Indonesia (BAPPENAS) and the Islamic Centre for Development of Trade (ICDT), successfully organised a Workshop on “Halal Industry Development in OIC Member Countries”. The workshop took place on 24-25 April 2024, through an online video conferencing platform.

H.E. Amb. Victor TCHATCHOUWO, Ambassador of Cameroon in Ankara, paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK at SESRIC Headquarters. During the meeting, H.E. SELÇUK and H.E. Amb. TCHATCHOUWO exchanged ideas on the facilitation of knowledge exchange across various social and economic sectors, aiming to benefit national institutions in Cameroon by strengthening their skills and capacities.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Amb. Prof. Dr. Mahmud Erol KILIÇ, Director General of IRCICA, in Istanbul. The visit aimed to further strengthen the existing close collaboration between SESRIC and IRCICA in areas of mutual interest and explore potential initiatives and activities to benefit the OIC countries.

A delegation from the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Population (MLSPP) of the Republic of Azerbaijan, led by H.E. Fuad HEYDEROV, Director General of Labour Policies, met with H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK at SESRIC Headquarters.

H.E. Mariam A. KHAN, UNFPA Representative for Türkiye and Country Director for Azerbaijan and Georgia, paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK. The visit aimed to discuss possible cooperation opportunities to leverage the respective expertise of UNFPA and SESRIC for the benefit of OIC countries.

SESRIC participated in an informative session on the İş Pozitif initiative on 17 April 2024. The session was hosted by the Turkish Employment Agency (İŞKUR) and brought together representatives from various international organisations.

SESRIC participated in the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum on 16-18 April 2024 at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York. Throughout the Forum, SESRIC’s representative engaged in numerous breakout sessions and side events organised by the OIC countries and relevant institutions. Additionally, the representative held bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Forum with representatives from the Permanent Observer of the OIC to the UN, Permanent Mission of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the UN, UN Statistics Division (UNSD), UN Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC). These meetings aimed to explore potential collaborations focused on youth empowerment.

SESRIC held its ninth Technical Review Meeting on 16 April 2024 at its headquarters in Ankara, Türkiye. The meeting aimed to discuss and present the outcomes of the latest SESRIC research report on ‘International Tourism in OIC Countries 2024’.

SESRIC and the Agency on Statistics under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to facilitate the collaboration and cooperation between both institutions within the framework of the project titled “Integration of Tobacco Questions for Surveys of Youth (TQS-Youth) into the National Surveys in Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Member Countries”. The MoA was signed by H.E. Mrs. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, and H.E. Mr. Nurmahmadzoda JAMSHED, Director of the Agency on Statistics under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan.

A delegation led by H.E. Mr. Joneri ALIMIN, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of Indonesia to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah, paid a courtesy visit to HE Mrs. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK. The visit aimed to increase cooperation linkages between SESRIC and national institutions of Indonesia, with a particular emphasis on possible joint activities and projects in areas of common interest.

Within the framework of the SESRIC Competition Authorities Capacity Building Programme (CA-CaB), SESRIC, in collaboration with the Turkish Competition Authority (TCA), organised a Training Course on “Empowering Competition Authorities for Fair Market Competition” on 2-3 April 2024 through an online video conferencing platform.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC, in collaboration with the Turkish Statistical Institute (TURKSTAT), organised a Training Course on “Statistical Business Registers” on 1-2 April 2024 through an online video conferencing platform.

Within the framework of its Webinar Series on Statistical Experience Sharing, SESRIC organized a Webinar on “Renewable Energy Statistics” on 28 March 2024 in collaboration with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and with the contributions of the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), the International Energy Agency (IEA), the Mozambique National Institute of Statistics and the BPS Statistics of Indonesia.

Following the virtual meeting between SESRIC and the Indonesian Ministry of National Development Planning (BAPPENAS) on 14 December 2023, a consensus was reached to organise a Workshop on “Halal Industry Development in OIC Member Countries”, SESRIC subsequently shared the draft concept note with BAPPENAS. The workshop is scheduled to take place on 24-25 April 2024. In order to refine the specifics of the workshop, a virtual coordination meeting was held on 27 March 2024. The meeting was primarily devoted to deliberations on the logistical framework of the workshop and the identification of prospective speakers for this collaborative undertaking.

Within the framework of SESRIC’s Public Audit Capacity Building Programme (PAU-CaB), SESRIC, in collaboration with the Turkish Court of Accounts (TCA), organised a training course on “Navigating the Audit Landscape of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs)” on 27-28 March 2024 through an online video conferencing platform.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised a Training Workshop on “SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) Indicators” on 26-27 March 2024 through an online video conferencing platform.

SESRIC participated in the Meeting of the Regional Coordination Group (RCG) on Data and Statistics on 22 March 2024, virtually hosted by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) in Geneva.

SESRIC participated in the Special Committee for the Coordination of Statistical Activities (CCSA) Meeting on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) monitoring on 22 March 2024, virtually hosted by the United Nations Statistical Division (UNSD) in New York.

Following the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in October 2023, SESRIC and the Malaysian Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) held a virtual coordination meeting on 21 March 2024 to discuss and plan future collaboration. The meeting focused on identifying specific programmes for joint initiatives.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Süleyman YILMAZ, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Türkiye Country Representative and Director of UNIDO Center for Regional Cooperation (UCRC). The discussions focused on exploring potential areas of cooperation between SESRIC and UNIDO Türkiye with a particular focus on fostering sustainable industrial development within the OIC region.

SESRIC and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) held a virtual coordination meeting on 21 March 2024 as a preparatory stage of the Webinar on “Renewable Energy Statistics” which will be organized by SESRIC in collaboration with the IRENA on 28 March 2024.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General of SESRIC, held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Dr. Laila bint AHMED AL NAJJAR, Minister of Social Development of Oman. The meeting took place on 15 March 2024, on the sidelines of the 68^th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68), held at UN Headquarters in New York.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General of SESRIC, held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Mrs. Bineta DIOP, Special Envoy at the African Union (AU) office on the sidelines of the 68^th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) in New York. The meeting aimed at enhancing collaboration between SESRIC and the AU in advancing women's empowerment across diverse sectors.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General of SESRIC, came together with H.E. Ambassador Hameed Ajibaiye OPELOYERU, the Permanent Observer of the OIC at the United Nations, on the sidelines of the 68^th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) in New York.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General of SESRIC, met with H.E. Dr. Maya MORSY, President of the National Council for Women in the Arab Republic of Egypt, during the 68^th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) in New York. The meeting aimed at fostering cooperation to empower women and families across OIC countries.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK held a meeting with H.E. Dr. Ensiyeh KHAZALI, Vice President for Women and Family Affairs of Iran, on 14 March 2024, during the 68^th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) at UN headquarters in New York. The meeting aimed to enhance cooperation and promote initiatives that empower women and family well-being.

During the 68^th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) held in New York, H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General of SESRIC, met with H.E. Dr. Amal HAMAD, Minister of Women's Affairs of the State of Palestine. The discussion centered around SESRIC’s initiatives to support evidence-based research on women in Gaza and Palestine.

Within the framework of the OIC Public Employment Services Network (OIC-PESNET) and the SESRIC Public Employment Services Capacity Building Programme (PES-CaB), SESRIC organised a Training Course on “Effective Labour Market Information Systems” on 13-14 March 2024 through an online video conferencing platform.

Within the framework of the Vocational Education and Training Programme for the Member Countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC-VET) and in line with the OIC-TVET Strategic Roadmap 2020-2025, SESRIC organised a Training Course on “Integrating Green Skills and Sustainable Practices into TVET Programmes” on 13-14 March 2024 through an online video conferencing platform.

SESRIC participated in the Coordination Meeting with the designated national focal points of the Ministries responsible for Youth and Sports in OIC member countries, which was organized virtually by the OIC General Secretariat on 13 March 2024.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General of SESRIC, held a bilateral meeting with Mr. Papa Alioune SECK, Chief Statistician of UN Women, on the sidelines of the 68^th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) in New York.

SESRIC participated in a virtual coordination meeting with the OIC General Secretariat on 13 March 2024. The meeting focused on the preparatory stages for the final report on the implementation of the OIC-2025 Programme of Action (POA).

SESRIC participated in the workshop on “Women Empowerment in Food Security and Beyond”, which was organized and virtually hosted by the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) on 12 March 2024.

SESRIC participated in the 68^th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and its side events from 11-15 March 2024 in New York, USA. The main theme of the Session was “Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective”. The Session covered a wide range of crucial topics for the benefit of women and girls including access to finance, empowerment, alleviating poverty, social protection systems, artificial intelligence, good practices and success stories.

A group of 22 students from the Türkiye–Africa Community in Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli (AHBV) University visited SESRIC Headquarters on 7 March 2024. The purpose of the visit was to deepen their knowledge on the OIC and SESRIC.

Within the framework of Environment Capacity Building Programme (Environment-CaB), SESRIC organised a Training Course on “Climate Change Adaptation Planning and Environmental Management” on 5-6 March 2024 through an online video conferencing platform for the benefit of 48 experts and executives from the relevant Ministries and National Institutions in charge of climate change in 24 OIC Countries.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK had a productive meeting with H.E. Amb. Cenk URAZ, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Türkiye to the OIC. The meeting, held at SESRIC headquarters, focused on strengthening intra-OIC cooperation.

SESRIC participated in the expert meeting on statistics on children organised by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia on 4–6 March 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Louisa VINTON, UNDP Türkiye Resident Representative. The discussions focused on exploring potential collaborations between SESRIC and UNDP Türkiye with a particular focus on addressing socioeconomic challenges and fostering sustainable development within the OIC region.

SESRIC, serving as the Secretariat of the OIC-Public Employment Services Network (OIC-PESNET), collaborated with the National Agency for the Promotion of Employment and Skills (ANAPEC) of the Kingdom of Morocco, in its capacity as the Chair of the OIC-PESNET, to organise the 4^th Meeting of the OIC-PESNET from 29 February to 1 March 2024 in Marrakech, Kingdom of Morocco. The Meeting brought together 56 participants from the the national Public Employment Services (PES) authorities and other relevant institutions, including the Ministry of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment and Skills (MIEPEEC) of the Kingdom of Morocco, as well as 3 institutions, namely Tamwilcom, SABIL Project, and the Association for the Promotion of Education and Training Abroad (APEFE), representing 20 OIC member countries.

SESRIC, in its capacity as the Secretariat of the OIC Statistical Commission (OIC-StatCom), organised the Follow-up Meeting of the 12^th Session of the OIC-StatCom on 28 February 2024 as a side event of the 55^th Session of the United Nations Statistical Commission in New York, USA. 36 delegates from 17 OIC member countries, as well as the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), CDC Foundation and GCC-STAT, attended the meeting.

SESRIC and Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) of the Republic of Türkiye signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalize their longstanding partnership in order to strengthen national statistical systems of the OIC member countries. The ceremony took place at the SESRIC Headquarters in Ankara, Türkiye.

The SESRIC delegation headed by Dr. Atilla Karaman, Chief of Cabinet and Mr. Onur Cağlar, Director of Statistics and Information Department, participated in the 55^th Session of the United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC) and its side events on 26 February - 01 March 2024 in New York, USA.

SESRIC and International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group conducted a field visit to Tunisia during 26 February – 1 March 2024. The field visit was conducted as part of the third research project prepared within the framework of a joint research trilogy initiated between the two institutions to assess the impacts of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on African OIC countries.

Within the framework of the OIC Occupational Safety and Health Network (OIC-OSHNET) and SESRIC Occupational Safety and Health Capacity Building Programme (OSH-CaB), the Centre, as the OIC Technical Coordinator of OIC-OSHNET, collaborated with the Directorate General of Occupational Safety and Health (DGOSH) at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security of the Republic of Türkiye, as the Secretariat of the Network. Together, they organised a Webinar on “Strategies to Support Mental Health at Work” on 22 February 2024. The webinar was attended by 65 officials from national OSH authorities and related institutions in 18 OIC member countries.

SESRIC attended the Meeting of the Interim Governing Body of the International Forum on TOSSD (IFT), which was held on 20 and 22 February 2024, virtually hosted by OECD from Paris. The meeting brought together members of the Forum to review the transition process into the International Forum on TOSSD (IFT), elaborating on the workplan communications and outreach outcomes, insights and revisions in the recipient profiles and TOSSD statistical standard and methodology among others.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC, in collaboration with the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), organised a Training Course on “Tourism Statistics” with the participation of 48 experts from the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) and Ministries of Tourism of 19 countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on 21-22 February 2024 through an online video conferencing platform. The course marked the 500^th Statistical Activity of SESRIC since 2007, highlighting a significant milestone in SESRIC’s commitment to enhancing statistical capacities across the OIC region.

SESRIC hosted a technical meeting with the OECD Istanbul Centre to explore partnership opportunities in areas of common interest. The meeting took place at SESRIC Headquarters in Ankara, Türkiye, on 20 February 2024.

SESRIC and the ILO Office for Türkiye held a coordination meeting on 20 February 2024 at the SESRIC Headquarters to discuss potential collaboration activities. During the meeting, SESRIC shared proposed activities for collaboration with the ILO, focusing on statistics, research, and training. These activities included, among others, a care economy project proposal, the OIC Occupational Safety and Health Network (OIC-OSHNET), and the OIC Public Employment Services Network (OIC-PESNET). SESRIC also outlined its 2024 schedule of training courses, webinars, meetings, and training of trainers (ToT), inviting the ILO to contribute with its expertise in various subjects such as Labour Statistics, SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) Indicators, Strategies for Supporting Mental Health at Work, Effective Labour Market Information Systems, and Integrating Green Skills and Sustainable Practices into TVET Programmes.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK and H.E. Fahad Bin Assaad Bin Abdulkareem ABUALNASR, Ambassador of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Ankara, held a productive meeting at SESRIC Headquarters. The meeting focused on strengthening collaboration between SESRIC and Saudi Arabia, particularly in capacity-building initiatives and partnerships with the Saudi national institutions.

Within the framework of the 11^th Call for Project Proposals of COMCEC Project Funding, the COMCEC Coordination Office (CCO) has completed the evaluation process and announced the Final List of successful projects that will receive COMCEC Project Funding. Three projects prepared and submitted by SESRIC under three different cooperation areas of COMCEC Strategy were found eligible to be funded in the 2024 implementation period, namely:

SESRIC held a virtual coordination meeting with the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) on 19 February 2024 to discuss the implementation of the Agreed Joint Activities between the two institutions, in line with the Matrix of the 7^th Annual Coordination of the OIC Institutions (ACMOI), which was held on 17-18 January 2024 in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK paid a courtesy visit to Mr. Paolo MARCHI, UNICEF Türkiye Representative, to explore avenues for enhanced cooperation and capacity-building programmes in the domain of children and their well-being.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK engaged in a productive meeting with H.E. Amb. Saif Bin Rashid Bin Saif ALJAHWARI, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman in Ankara. The visit aimed to enhance collaboration between SESRIC and relevant national institutions in Oman.

Within the framework of Tobacco Free OIC Capacity Building Programme (TF-CaB), SESRIC organised a Training Course on “Supporting Tobacco Farmers through Tobacco Control Programmes” on 13-14 February 2024 through an online video conferencing platform for the benefit of 48 experts and executives from Ministries and relevant national institutions in charge of tobacco control in 14 OIC Member Countries.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK and H.E. Dr. Babatunde AHONSI, UN Resident Coordinator (UNRCO) in Ankara, came together to explore avenues for enhanced cooperation between SESRIC and UN agencies in Türkiye.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised a Training Course on “SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) Indicators” with the participation of 97 experts from National Statistical Offices (NSOs) and Ministries responsible for Water of 23 OIC countries on 12-13 February 2024 through an online video conferencing platform.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK held a high-level meeting with the International Labour Organization (ILO) delegation, comprised of H.E. Beate ANDREES, ILO Assistant Director-General and Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, and H.E. Dr. Yasser Ahmed Hassan IBRAHIM, Director of ILO Türkiye Country Office. The meeting took place at SESRIC Headquarters and focused on crucial matters related to labor issues in OIC Countries.

SESRIC particiapted in the Annual Meeting of the Global Network of Institutions for Statistical Training (GIST) on 12 February 2024, virtually hosted from New York. The meeting brought together GIST members, the Stakeholder Advisory Board, and National Statistical Offices (NSOs) to review the achievements of the past year and to set the strategic directions and priorities for 2024, emphasizing the collective ambition to strengthen global statistical capacities.

A delegation from SESRIC conducted a study visit to Uganda, which was organized by the Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) in collaboration with the Ugandan Embassy in Türkiye. The purpose of the visit was to explore the opportunities for further cooperation with relevant national authorities and OIC institutions based in Uganda, and learn more about the latest efforts of the country in promoting inclusive and sustainable development in the case of Mount Elgon region. The SESRIC delegation consisted of Dr. Kenan BAĞCI, Senior Researcher, and Muzamil EDEMA, Researcher at SESRIC.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Hazem Issam AL-KHATIB AL-TAMIMI, Ambassador of Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in Ankara. The visit aimed to explore potential venues of cooperation between SESRIC and national institutions of Jordan.

SESRIC and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) held a coordination meeting virtually on 31 January 2024. The meeting served as a platform for discussions, exploring various areas of collaborations and potential joint initiatives. Among the prospective collaborations discussed were capacity building programmes, research projects, and the sharing of data, with a specific focus on advancing the field of Halal Tourism.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Dr. Yasser Ahmed HASSAN, Director of the ILO Türkiye Office. The meeting aimed at deepening collaboration and exploring new avenues for joint initiatives to benefit the OIC countries.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Alkali Fanka CONTEH, Ambassador of the Gambia in Ankara. The meeting focused on exploring opportunities for collaboration in capacity building and technical cooperation initiatives between SESRIC and The Gambia.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised a Training Course on “SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) Indicators” for the benefit of 28 experts from the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) of 9 Arabic speaking OIC countries on 22-23 January 2024 through an online video conferencing platform.

H.E. Dr. Walid ABDELWAHAB, Director of the IsDB Regional Hub in Türkiye paid a courtesy visit to H.E Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK at the SESRIC HQs. The meeting aimed to reinforce the longstanding partnership between the two OIC institutions.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Dr. Batyr BERDYKLYCHEV, WHO Representative and Head of Türkiye Country Office. The meeting, held on 19 January 2024, aimed to explore avenues for enhancing cooperation between SESRIC and WHO, with a specific focus on health-related initiatives.

SESRIC participated in a preparatory meeting with the panel participants for the upcoming UNECE/UNICEF Expert Meeting Session on Child Disability Data, which will be held on 4–6 March 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised a Training Course on ‘SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, Infrastructure) Indicators’ for the benefit of 33 experts National Statistical Offices (NSOs) of 8 French speaking OIC countries on 17-18 January 2024 through an online video conferencing platform.

SESRIC delegation headed by H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General, participated in the 7^th Session of the Annual Coordination Meeting of OIC Institutions (ACMOI), which took place on 17-18 January 2024 at the Headquarters of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK met with H.E. Ambassador Askar MUSSINOV, Director General of Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) on the sidelines of the the 7^th Session of the Annual Coordination Meeting of OIC Institutions (7^th ACMOI) held on 17-18 January 2024 at the OIC Headquarters in Jeddah. The discussions focused on strengthening the collaboration outlined in the Joint Action Plan, encompassing both current and future activities between the two esteemed organisations.

On the margnis of the 7^th Session of the Annual Coordination Meeting of OIC Institutions (7^th ACMOI) held on 17-18 January 2024, H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Mohammed Saud ALMUTAIRI, the Permanent Representative of Kuwait to the OIC.

SESRIC delegation headed by H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General, participated in the Coordination Meeting of the OIC Islamic Universities (IUCM), which took place on 16 January 2024 at the Headquarters of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

On the sidelines of the Coordination Meeting of the OIC Islamic Universities (IUCM) and relevant OIC Institutions held on 16 January 2024, H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK met with H.E. Amb. Saleh Bin Hamad AL SUHAIBANI, the Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to the OIC.

SESRIC and the University of Management and Technology (UMT) in Pakistan solidified their collaboration by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at enhancing partnership and cooperation. The agreement focuses on areas of common interest within SESRIC's relevant capacity-building programs and the Vocational Education and Training Programme for OIC member countries (OIC-VET).

SESRIC and the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) have solidified their commitment to fostering collaboration and mutual cooperation by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The agreement, inked by H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General of SESRIC, and Prof. Dr. Ahmad Faris BIN ISMAIL, Deputy Rector of IIUM in Academic and Internationalisation, on 16 January 2024, during the Coordination Meeting of OIC Islamic Universities (IUCM) and relevant OIC institutions in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, establishes a framework for partnership in areas of shared interest.

Within the framework of the Vocational Education and Training Programme for the Member States of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC-VET) and in line with the OIC-TVET Strategic Roadmap 2020-2025, SESRIC, with collaboration of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), organized a Training Course on “Setting Up a Supportive Policy Framework to Promote Youth and Women Entrepreneurship” on 9-10 January 2024 through an online video conferencing platform.

H.E Saif Rashid AL JAHWARI, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to Ankara, paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK at the SESRIC Headquarters. The meeting was held to explore potential areas of cooperation between Oman and SESRIC with a focus on capacity building and technical cooperation initiatives.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised a Training Course on “Government Finance, Fiscal and Public Sector Statistics” for the benefit of 15 experts from the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) of 9 French speaking OIC countries on 8-9 January 2024 through an online video conferencing platform.

As part of the preparations to celebrate Khiva as the OIC City of Tourism for 2024, SESRIC, in collaboration with the Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC), under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia, organized a Training Course on “Halal Tourism and Muslim-Friendly Hospitality Services”, on 08-12 January 2024, through an online video conferencing platform.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK attended the launch event of the International Maarif Preschool Education Programme on January 5, 2024, in Istanbul. Organized by the Turkish Maarif Foundation, the program aims to elevate early childhood education in some OIC member countries.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK recently engaged in a productive bilateral meeting with Dr. Nabeth PIERRE, Head of the WHO European Centre for Preparedness for Humanitarian and Health Emergencies. The meeting, held in Istanbul, focused on reinforcing collaboration between SESRIC and WHO within the framework of SESRIC's mandated areas, particularly emphasizing humanitarian and health crises within the OIC member countries.