H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK received a courtesy visit from H.E. Aden Houssein ABDILLAHI, Ambassador of the Republic of Djibouti and H.E. Khadidjata TOURÉ, Ambassador of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire to the Republic of Türkiye, at the Centre’s headquarters in Ankara.

The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange views on further strengthening cooperation between SESRIC and the national institutions of Djibouti and Côte d’Ivoire in line with the Centre’s mandate areas of research, statistics, training, and technical cooperation. Discussions also highlighted the importance of enhancing capacity-building efforts to support sustainable development priorities across OIC countries.

During the meeting, H.E. SELÇUK underscored SESRIC’s continued commitment to fostering closer partnerships with both countries through tailored programmes and initiatives aimed at enhancing institutional capacities and promoting knowledge sharing. The Ambassadors expressed their appreciation for the Centre’s longstanding support and reaffirmed their willingness to further expand collaboration in areas of mutual interest.

On his part, H.E. ABDILLAHI commended SESRIC for its valuable contributions to strengthening the capacities of Djibouti’s public institutions, particularly in the fields of statistics, training, and technical cooperation. He noted that the Centre’s programmes have played an important role in supporting the country’s human capital development and institutional effectiveness, and expressed Djibouti’s interest in further benefiting from SESRIC’s capacity-building initiatives, especially in areas related to digital transformation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable economic growth.

H.E. TOURÉ also expressed her appreciation for the fruitful cooperation between SESRIC and the national institutions of Côte d’Ivoire. She highlighted the importance of expanding collaboration in priority areas such as vocational training, women’s empowerment, youth entrepreneurship, and the strengthening of statistical capacities. H.E. TOURÉ further reiterated her country’s readiness to work closely with SESRIC in developing joint programmes and initiatives that contribute to inclusive and sustainable development across OIC countries.

To date, SESRIC has organised over 90 activities for the benefit of Djibouti and around 200 activities for the benefit of Côte d’Ivoire, reflecting the Centre’s sustained efforts to strengthen the skills and capacities of national institutions across OIC countries and to contribute to their socio-economic development.

The visit concluded with an exchange of views, reaffirming the shared commitment of SESRIC and both countries to further deepen cooperation in support of sustainable development, capacity building, and technical cooperation across OIC countries.