SESRIC participated in the 41^st Meeting of the Follow-up Committee of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC). The meeting reviewed the outcomes of working group meetings and the projects being implemented in 2025 under the COMCEC Project Funding concerning the cooperation areas of intra-OIC trade, private sector development, financial cooperation, transport and communications, tourism, agriculture, poverty alleviation, and digital transformation. The meeting was also briefed by the relevant OIC institutions concerning their activities relevant to the above-mentioned cooperation areas of the COMCEC Strategy.

The meeting was chaired by the COMCEC Coordination Office and participated in by the representatives of 11 OIC countries (Türkiye (Chairman, Permanent), Saudi Arabia (Vice Chairman, Permanent Member), Palestine (Vice-Chairman, Permanent Member), Qatar (Vice-Chairman, Arab Region), Brunei (Vice-Chairman, Asia Region), Senegal (Vice-Chairman, Africa Region), Pakistan (Rapporteur), Kuwait (Previous Bureau Member), Indonesia (Previous Bureau Member), Nigeria (Previous Bureau Member), and Gambia (Chairman of the 15^th Islamic Summit)) and relevant OIC institutions. SESRIC was represented by the heads of the Statistics and Information; Economic and Social Research; and Training and Technical Cooperation Departments. 

During the meeting, SESRIC briefed the delegates on its actions regarding agenda items on Alleviating Poverty (focusing on the Vocational Education and Training Program for the OIC Member Countries (OIC-VET) Programme and the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)). In addition, SESRIC informed the Committee about its upcoming Report on the Progress towards the Achievement of Prioritised SDGs. To be submitted to the upcoming 41^st Ministerial Session of the COMCEC in November this year, the Report will cover the progress of OIC countries as a group towards the achievement of prioritised 8 SDGs (1-5, 8-9, 13) and the remaining 9 SDGs (6-7, 10-12, 14-17). 

The Committee acknowledged SESRIC with great satisfaction for its substantial efforts concerning its activities under its Capacity Building Programmes, Networks and the Reports provided to the relevant OIC fora. 

For more information about the meeting, please visit: https://www.comcec.org/follow-up-committee/follow-up-committee-meetings/