Within the framework of the COMCEC-funded SESRIC Project on “Unleashing the Potential of Islamic Finance in Supporting MSMEs in the OIC Member Countries”, the Centre, in collaboration with Bank Indonesia (BI), Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) and the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye (CBRT), organised a Workshop on “Promoting Islamic Social Finance and Accelerating the Growth of Halal Value Chain Ecosystem” on 20-21 September 2023 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Within the framework of the COMCEC-funded SESRIC Project on “Promoting Digital Technologies for an Integrated and Efficient Social Protection Systems in the OIC Member Countries”, the Centre, in collaboration with the Malaysian Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) and the Ministry of Family and Social Services of the Republic of Türkiye, organised a Workshop on “Best Practices on Promoting the Utilization of Integrated and Digital Technologies in Social Protection Systems in the OIC countries” on 12-13 September 2023 at SESRIC headquarters in Ankara, Türkiye.

H.E. M Amanul Haq, Ambassador of the People's Republic of Bangladesh to Ankara, paid a visit to the SESRIC headquarters. During his visit, Amb. Haq and H.E. SELÇUK held discussions focusing on enhancing the close relationship between Bangladesh and SESRIC within the OIC family.

In April 2014, Tobacco Questions for Surveys (TQS) was initially presented at the Fourth Session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Statistical Commission, where the participating OIC countries affirmed their commitment to pursue integration of TQS into their ongoing surveys to monitor key tobacco control indicators among adults. This launched a long-standing partnership between the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the CDC Foundation, and SESRIC. SESRIC enhances regional- and country-level capacity for tobacco surveillance and monitoring, with the goal of sustaining tobacco control efforts in OIC member countries.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK welcomed H.E. Prof. Dr. Mesut ÖZCAN, the Director of Diplomacy Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye at SESRIC Headquarters.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Rashad MAMMADOV, the Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Ankara, Türkie. The meeting aimed at discussing SESRIC's activities relevant to Azerbaijan and exploring potential areas of cooperation between SESRIC and Azerbaijan.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised a Training Course on ‘Generic Statistical Business Process Model (GSBPM)’ with the attendance of 30 participants from the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) of 8 French speaking OIC countries on 05-06 September 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

An official closing ceremony of the 2023 OIC Youth Day was held at the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Türkiye on 5 September 2023 in Ankara, to conclude the 3-day OIC Youth Day Program under the theme “Youth Volunteering and Societal Responsibility”.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Mr. Alisher AGZAMHODJAEV Ambassador of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Ankara. The visit was a good opportunity to raise various issues pertinent to the work of SESRIC and its efforts in addressing the common challenges and leveraging the current strenths in the OIc region, including Uzbekistan.

SESRIC participated in the “Virtual Symposium on Youth Volunteering and Societal Responsibility”, which was organized virtually by the Ministry of Sports of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in cooperation with the General Secretariat of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on 4 September 2023 to commemorate the OIC Youth Day.

SESRIC hosted young participants from OIC countries at its headquarters in Ankara on 4 September 2023, as part of the 2023 OIC Youth Day Program, which was jointly organized by SESRIC, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Türkiye, the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF), and the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB).

Within the framework of the Reverse Linkage Project between Bangladesh and Türkiye on “Enhancing Capacity in Cotton Varieties Development”, SESRIC, in collaboration with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and Nazilli Cotton Research Institute (CRI) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Türkiye, organized a training course on “Integrated Pest Management: Harvest of Experiments” on 03-09 September 2023 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

SESRIC participated in the “Introductory Session on Muslim-Friendly Tourism (MFT)”, which was organized virtually by the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana in cooperation with the General Secretariat of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on 29 August 2023. The Session aimed at introducing the MFT concept to the public and private sector tourism stakeholders in Guyana. Dr. Cem TINTIN, Senior Researcher at the Economic and Social Research Department of SESRIC, attended the Introductory Session on the behalf of the SESRIC and delivered a detailed presentation on Muslim-Friendly Tourism.

Within the framework of the COMCEC-funded SESRIC Project titled “Increasing the Utilization of Innovative Financing Tools to Maintain Transport Infrastructure and the Services of the Transport Service Providers (TSPs) in the OIC Member Countries”, the Centre organised a Training Course on “Increasing the Utilization of Innovative Financing Tools to Maintain the Transport Infrastructure and the Services of TSPs” on 28-29 August 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

Within the framework of the COMCEC-funded SESRIC Project on “Promoting Digital Technologies for an Integrated and Efficient Social Protection Systems in the OIC Member Countries”, the Centre, in collaboration with the Malaysian Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) and the Ministry of Family and Social Services of the Republic of Türkiye, organised a Training Course on “Using digital and integrated technologies in delivering social protection and assistance programmes” on 23-24 August 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

Within the framework of the Programme of Action for 2021-2025 set under the OIC-StatCom Strategic Vision for 2030 and its Webinar Series on Statistical Experience Sharing, SESRIC organized a Webinar on “Towards a Methodology for Production and Dissemination of Islamic Tourism Indicators” on 23 August 2023. The webinar was conducted in collaboration with the National Statistical Offices of Indonesia, Iran, and Saudi Arabia as well as the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC) and World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). CrescentRating and DinarStandard provided insights of the private sector as well.

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 organized a Training Workshop on “Fostering Entrepreneurial Activities and Startup Ecosystems in the OIC Member Countries” on 22-23 August 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

On August 22, 2023, SESRIC hosted a constructive bilateral technical working group meeting at its Headquarters, involving representatives from both the League of Arab States (LAS) office in Ankara and SESRIC.

Within the framework of the Reverse Linkage Project between Bangladesh and Türkiye on “Enhancing Capacity in Cotton Varieties Development”, SESRIC, in collaboration with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and Nazilli Cotton Research Institute (CRI) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Türkiye, organised a training course on “Advanced Breeding in Cotton-Crossing Activities” on 20-26 August 2023 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

SESRIC held its eighth Technical Review Meeting, a continuation of the ongoing initiative launched in April 2023 at its headquarters in Ankara. The meeting was dedicated to sharing and discussing the draft contents and preliminary findings of SESRIC’s forthcoming 2023 edition of the ‘OIC Health Report’, which has been prepared biennially since 2011 as the main technical background document for the Islamic Conference of Health Ministers (ICHM).

Within the framework of the COMCEC-funded SESRIC Project titled “Promoting Digital Technologies for an Integrated and Efficient Social Protection Systems in the OIC Member Countries”, the Centre, in collaboration with the Malaysian Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) and the Ministry of Family and Social Services of the Republic of Türkiye, organised a Training Course on “Enhancing Policies and Practices for Effective Digitization and Integrated Social Protection Systems” through an online video conferencing platform.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised a Training Course on 'Social Protection and SDGs Indicators' for the benefit of National Statistical Offices (NSOs) of French speaking OIC countries on 16-17 August 2023 through an online video conferencing platform with the attendance of 21 participants from 11 member countries.

The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) and the Council of Higher Education of the Republic of Türkiye (YÖK) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The signing ceremony, marked by the presence of distinguished delegates and officials of both institutions as well as media representatives, underscores the commitment to advancing education, research, and developing science & technology in the OIC Member Countries.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Dr. Erhan ÇETİNKAYA, President of the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) in Ankara. The visit aimed to reinforce the existing partnership between TurkStat and SESRIC and explore opportunities for broader cooperation in various activities undertaken by the both organistions.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK met with H.E. Mohammed Ali LAZREQ, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to Türkiye. The visit took place at the Moroccan Embassy and served as an opportunity to strengthen ties and discuss potential areas of collaboration between the two institutions.

Within the framework of SESRIC’s Central Banks Capacity Building Programme (CB-CaB), the Centre, in collaboration with the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye, organised a Training Course on “Financial Stability and Monetary Policy” on 9-10 August 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Ms. Khadidjata TOURE, Ambassador of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire to the Republic of Türkiye, as part of her continuous endeavours to strengthen ties with the OIC Member States’ missions to Türkiye, the host country of SESRIC. During the visit, H.E. SELÇUK and H.E. TOURE held a meeting at the premises of the Embassy of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire in Ankara, Türkiye.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised a Training Course on 'Social Protection Statistics' with the attendance of 19 participants from the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) of 10 Arabic speaking OIC countries on 09-10 August 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK visited H.E. Dr. Yousaf JUNAID, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the Republic of Türkiye. The meeting was a good opportunity to raise various issues pertinent to the work of SESRIC and its efforts in addressing the common challenges and leveraging the current strengths in the OIC region, including Pakistan.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK met with H.E. Aden Houssein ABDILLAHI, Ambassador of the Republic of Djibouti to the Republic of Türkiye, as part of SESRIC’s continuous endeavours to strengthen ties with the OIC Member States’ missions to Türkiye.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK paid a courtesy call to H.E. Nusura OMAR TIPERU, Ambassador of Uganda to the Republic of Türkiye. The meeting was a good opportunity to raise various issues pertinent to the work of SESRIC and its efforts in addressing the common challenges and leveraging the current strengths in the OIC region, including the Republic of Uganda.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK held a meeting with the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to the Republic of Türkiye, H.E. Dr. Lalu Muhamad IQBAL, on 01 August 2023. The meeting, which took place in the premises of the Embassy of Indonesia, aimed at discussing different aspects of cooperation between SESRIC and the national institutions in Indonesia.

As part of her continuous endeavors to strengthen ties with the OIC Member States missions to Türkiye, the host country of SESRIC, H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK paid a visit to H.E. Yerkebulan SAPIYEV, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Türkiye, on 31 July 2023. The meeting was a good opportunity to raise various issues pertinent to the work of SESRIC and its efforts in addressing the common challenges and leveraging the current strengths in the OIC region, including Kazakhstan.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Ali YARLIKAYA, Minister of Interior of the Republic of Türkiye.The meeting aimed to discuss potential areas of collaboration and strengthen ties between SESRIC and the Ministry of Interior of Türkiye within the OIC context.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK paid a visit to H.E Dr. Fahrettin KOCA, the Minister of Health of the Republic of Türkiye, on July 27, 2023, at the Ministry of Health in Türkiye. The meeting aimed to discuss potential areas of collaboration and strengthen ties between SESRIC and the Ministry of Health of Türkiye within the OIC context.

H.E. Mohammad Shafiee bin Haji KASSIM, Ambassador of Brunei Darussalam to the Republic of Türkiye, paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK on 26 July 2023. 

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK was hosted by H.E. Mr. Abdullah EREN, the President of the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB). This courteous visit aimed to further strengthen ties between SESRIC and YTB to enhance the well-being and development of the youth of OIC countries living in different parts of the world.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK met with H.E. Amb. Abdelhameed Abdelkader HAMZA,  Chief of Mission of the League of Arab States (LAS) to the Republic of Türkiye. The meeting, held on July 26, 2023, aimed to strengthen the partnership between SESRIC and the LAS. Both organizations have a longstanding commitment to advancing socio-economic development, fostering regional cooperation, and empowering OIC countries.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK welcomed H.E. İhsan ÖVÜT, Secretary General of the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC), at the SESRIC Headquarters in Ankara.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK visited H.E. Mustafa TUZCU, the Deputy Minister of Trade of the Republic of Türkiye, on July 25, 2023. The purpose of the visit was to foster closer ties and explore potential areas of interest to bolster trade among the OIC countries.

On July 25, 2023, H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Serkan KAYALAR, President of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), at the TIKA Headquarters in Ankara, Türkiye. This visit was characterized by productive and constructive discussions pertaining to development initiatives undertaken by both institutions

SESRIC organised an Invited Paper Session (IPS) on “Changing Role of Official Statistics amid Recent Global Developments: Why Data Culture Matters?” on the margins of 64^th World Statistics Congress (WSC) on 20 July 2023 in Ottawa, Canada. The Session was attended by 17 WSC participants from different countries and international organisations.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Mr. Metin YENER, the President of the Turkish Court of Accounts, on 18 July 2023. During the visit, H.E. SELÇUK emphasized the importance of the occasion in fostering stronger ties and finding ways and means of bilateral activities for the benefit of the member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

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 organised a Workshop on “Digitalization of TVET: Challenges and Opportunities for the OIC Member Countries” on 18-19 July 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

Within the framework of SESRIC’s Emerging Talents Capacity Building Programme (SET-CAB), SESRIC initiated a month-long training on 17 July 2023 at its headquarters in Ankara, Republic of Türkiye.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK visited to H.E. Mahinur ÖZDEMİR GÖKTAŞ, Minister of Family and Social Services of the Republic of Türkiye, on 17 July 2023 at the Ministry's Headquarters in Ankara, Türkiye. The meeting commenced with H.E. SELÇUK expressing sincere and heartfelt congratulations to the newly appointed Minister, for an auspicious and productive tenure ahead.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Ömer BOLAT, Minister of Trade of the Republic of Türkiye, on July 14, 2023. The purpose of the visit was to discuss potential areas of interest to enhance trade among the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK met with Prof. Dr. Fatma Meriç YILMAZ, the President of the Turkish Red Crescent. She extended her congratulations to H.E. YILMAZ on her appointment, while expressing the intention to explore further opportunities towards strengthening the existing ties between SESRIC and the Turkish Red Crescent.

SESRIC convened its Seventh Technical Review Meeting on July 14, 2023, at the SESRIC's headquarters in Ankara, Türkiye. The purpose of this meeting was to present and discuss the findings of SESRIC's latest research report, titled "Agriculture and Food Security in OIC Member Countries 2023: Enhancing Resilience of Agricultural and Food Systems." The report, which highlights the challenges faced by OIC countries, will be published and submitted to the 9^th Conference of Environment Ministers in the Islamic World scheduled to take place in Doha, Qatar, in October 2023.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK engaged a bilateral meeting with  H.E. Wael Yousef ALENZI, Ambassador of  Kuwait to Türkiye, on 13 July 2023. The visit provided an auspicious occasion for SESRIC to convey its profound gratitude for the continuous support extended by the State of Kuwait over the years,  while also seeking avenues to fortify the existing ties.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK visited to H.E. İbrahim YUMAKLI, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry of Türkiye, on 12 July 2023. She extended her sincere congratulations to H.E. the Minister on his recent appointment and expressed her utmost wishes a successful tenure.

Within the framework of SESRIC’s Tobacco Free OIC Capacity Building Programme (TF-CaB), SESRIC, in collaboration with the Turkish Green Crescent Society (YEŞİLAY), organised a Training Course on “Protecting Second-hand Smokers and Reducing Tobacco Use in Public Places” on 11 - 13 July 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

On July 10, 2023, H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, cordially visited the Headquarters of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in Istanbul, Türkiye, to extend a gesture of courtesy to H.E. Amb. Kubanychbek OMURALIEV, the esteemed Secretary General of the Organisation. The SESRIC delegation was warmly received by Amb. Omuraliev and his team. H.E. SELÇUK expressed sincere gratitude for their gracious hospitality.

SESRIC, in its capacity as the Secretariat of OIC Statistical Commission (OIC-StatCom), organised a Workshop on “Generic Models of Statistical Production” in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) on 10-11 July 2023 through a video conferencing platform with the participation of 62 experts from the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) of 20 OIC countries.

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, in collaboration with the Vocational Training Corporation (VTC) of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, organised a Training Course on “Adopting Legislative and Regulatory Framework towards Social Inclusion in TVET” on 05-06 July 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK visited to H.E. Faed MUSTAFA, the Ambassador of the State of Palestine to the Republic of Türkiye, on July 4, 2023. The visit aimed to discuss ways to reinforce dialogue among member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), with a particular focus on the role of the OIC in supporting Palestine and addressing the ongoing challenges faced by the Palestinian people.

On 4 July 2023, H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Mehmet ŞİMŞEK, Minister of Finance of the Republic of Türkiye. The purpose of the visit was to discuss key strategies and areas of interest related to finance and explore economic possibilities for the benefit of OIC countries.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Cevdet YILMAZ, Vice-President of Türkiye, on 4 July 2023 in Ankara, Türkiye. The aim of the meeting was to foster dialogue and strengthen ties between the SESRIC, a subsidiary organ of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and Türkiye, a member state of the OIC.

Within the framework of the Vocational Education and Training Programme for the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC-VET), SESRIC, in cooperation with the Regional Educational Center of ICESCO in Chad, organized a Training Course on “Methods of Setting up Small-scale Income-generating Projects” on 20-22 June 2023 through an online video conferencing platform. The training course was provided by a competent academician for the benefit of 37 TVET teachers and trainers as well as entrepreneurs in Chad.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme and the UN-OIC Cooperation Matrix for 2022-2024, SESRIC organised a Training Course on ‘International Trade Statistics and Balance of Payments’ in collaboration with the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), and World Trade Organization (WTO) with the attendance of 44 participants from the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) of 16 OIC countries on 20-22 June 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

SESRIC conducted its Sixth Technical Review Meeting at its headquarters in Ankara, Türkiye. The meeting, held on 15 June 2023, aimed to present and discuss the findings of SESRIC's latest research report on "Agricultural Production and Trade: Complementarities among OIC Member Countries."

The SESRIC delegation, led by H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK paid a courtesy visit to the Ministry of Labor (MoL) of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on 14 June 2023 at its headquarters in Amman, Jordan.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Wafaa BANI MUSTAFA, Minister of Social Development of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, on 14 June 2023 at the Ministry's Headquarters in Amman, Jordan.

The SESRIC delegation, led by H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK paid a courtesy visit to the Central Bank of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (CBJ) on 14 June 2023 at its Headquarters in Amman, Jordan.

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), UN Statistics Division (UNSD), and Arab Institute for Training and Research in Statistics (AITRS) organized the Arab Regional Statistical Conference with the theme “Agility and Resilience of National Statistical Systems” in response to the calls of the 75^th Session of the General Assembly and the 15^th Session of the ESCWA Statistical Committee. The Conference was held on 13-15 June 2023 in Amman, Jordan.

SESRIC delegation headed by H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Marwan AL-REFAI, Secretary General of the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation on 13 June 2023 at the Headquarters of DoS in Amman.

Within the framework of the 2020 World Population and Housing Census Programme, SESRIC hosted the Regional Training Workshop on “Transition to Register-Based approaches for Population and Housing Censuses” in collaboration with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), and Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) at SESRIC Headquarters on 12-15 June 2023 in Ankara, Republic of Türkiye. 27 census experts from the National Statistical Offices of 8 OIC member countries participated in the Workshop.

SESRIC participated in the Capacity Building on Data Collection, Analysis and Reporting 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 12-15 June 2023 in Banjul, The Gambia.

Within the framework of the Reverse Linkage Project between Bangladesh and Türkiye on “Enhancing Capacity in Cotton Varieties Development”, SESRIC, in collaboration with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and Nazilli Cotton Research Institute (CRI) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Türkiye, organised a training course on “New Approaches in Cotton Agronomy: Sowing Experiments” on 10-16 June 2023 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

SESRIC Delegation headed by H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK participated in the Second Ordinary Session of the Ministerial Council of Women Development Organization (WDO) on 8 June 2023. The event was organised following the Second Session of the Ministerial Conference on Social Development on 5-6 June 2023 in Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt. 

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Dr. Afnan ALSHUAIBY, Executive Director of the Women Development Organization (WDO) on 5 June 2023 on the sidelines of the Second Session of the Ministerial Conference on Social Development on 5-6 June 2023 in Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt.

SESRIC held its fifth Technical Review Meeting on 02 June 2023 at its headquarters in Ankara, Türkiye. The meeting aimed to discuss and present the outcomes of the latest SESRIC research report on ‘Transportation for Development in OIC Member Countries’. The report was prepared in line with a resolution of the 46^th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers requesting to prepare studies outlining potential constraints to connectivity and the main challenges of landlocked countries of OIC in the area of transportation and development. It is also the Centre’s first comprehensive research report on the Transport sector.

H.E. Amb. Cenk URAZ, Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to the Republic of Djibouti, and H.E. Amb. Aden Houssein ABDILLAHI, Ambassador of the Republic of Djibouti to the Republic of Türkiye, paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK on 01 June 2023 at the SESRIC Headquarters.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, paid a visit to Prof. Dr. Erol ÖZVAR, President of the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) of Türkiye on 01 June 2023 in Ankara, Republic of Türkiye.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme and the UN-OIC Cooperation Matrix for 2022-2024, SESRIC organised a Training Course on ‘Agriculture Statistics and Food Security Analysis’ with the attendance of 52 experts from the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) of 18 OIC countries on 29-30 May 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

SESRIC held its Fourth Technical Review Meeting on 25 May 2023 at SESRIC's headquarters in Ankara, Türkiye. This meeting dedicated to presenting and discussing the outcomes of the latest SESRIC research report, the OIC Environment Report 2023. The report will be published and submitted to the 9^th Conference of Environment Ministers in the Islamic World to be held this year in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Within the framework of SESRIC’s Tourism Capacity Building Programme (Tourism-CaB) and in line with relevant resolutions of the 38^th Session of the COMCEC and the 11th Session of the Islamic Conference of Tourism Ministers (ICTM), SESRIC and ICDT jointly organized a Training Webinar on the “Digitalization of Tourism Services in OIC Countries” on 24-25 May 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

SESRIC and the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate and strengthen cooperation between both institutions in areas of food security, agriculture, and rural development.

Within the framework of the SESRIC IbnSina Health Capacity Building Programme (IbnSina-CaB), and in line with the relevant resolutions of the 7^th Session of the Islamic Conference of Health Ministers (ICHM), SESRIC, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Population of the Arab Republic of Egypt, organised a Training Course on “Fundamentals of Integrated Management on Health Emergencies and Crises” on 23-25 May 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

Within the framework of the Reverse Linkage Project between Pakistan and Türkiye on “Earthquake Seismological Research”, SESRIC, in collaboration with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Center (MRC) of Türkiye, and Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), organised three training courses in parallel, namely; Training Course on “Global Positioning System (GPS): Data Collection and Processing”, Training Course on “Seismology: Earthquake Data Processing and Analysis”, and Training Course on “Site Classification: Data Collection and Processing”. The second phase of the training courses was implemented on 22 May - 09 June 2023 at TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Center’s headquarters in Gebze, Kocaeli - Türkiye.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, the Director General of SESRIC, paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Hissein Brahim TAHA, the Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on 22 May 2023 in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The General Secretariat of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in coordination with the Chair of the First Session of the Ministerial Conference on Social Development, the Ministry of Family and Social Services of the Republic of Türkiye, organized an Open-Ended Intergovernmental Group Meeting on the OIC Plan of Action on People with Disabilities on 21-22 May 2023 in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Meeting was held within the framework of following up on the implementation of the resolutions of the First session of the Ministerial Conference on Social Development and the resolutions of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM), especially Resolution No. 4/49 - C on Cultural, Social and Family Affairs adopted at its 49^th Session held in Nouakchott.

H.E. Nusura Omar TIPERU, Ambassador of the Republic of Uganda to the Republic of Türkiye, paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General of SESRIC on 18 May 2023. The Ambassador extended her congratulations to H.E. SELÇUK on her appointment as the Director General of SESRIC, while expressing the intention to explore further opportunities for collaboration between national institutions of Uganda and SESRIC, focusing on common objectives and mutual areas of interest.

The SESRIC delegation headed by Mr. Fadi Abdullah FARASIN, Assistant Director General of SESRIC, participated in the 42^nd Meeting of the Sessional Committee of the COMCEC which was held virtually on 17 May 2023. The objective of the Meeting is to review and coordinate the activities and programs of OIC institutions and to report to COMCEC Sessions. The meeting was chaired by the COMCEC Coordination Office and attended by representatives from the OIC institutions working in the fields of economy and commerce.

Within the framework of the SESRIC’s Stock Exchanges Capacity Building Programme (SE-CaB), SESRIC, in collaboration with Borsa Istanbul (the Secretariat of the OIC Exchanges Forum), Capital Market Board of Türkiye (the Secretariat of the COMCEC Capital Market Regulators Forum), the Indonesia Stock Exchange and the Indonesian Financial Services Authority, organised a Training Course on “Islamic Debt and Equity Markets” on 16-18 May 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) is pleased to launch its Emerging Talents Capacity Building Programme (SET-CAB), an initiative designed to support young professionals from OIC Member Countries. The programme aims to contribute to the personal and professional growth of the next generation of talented individuals by offering an engaging learning environment.

Within the framework of the Reverse Linkage Project between Bangladesh and Türkiye on “Enhancing Capacity in Cotton Varieties Development”, SESRIC, in collaboration with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and Nazilli Cotton Research Institute (CRI) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Türkiye, organised a training course on “Biotechnological Tools and Techniques for Cotton - Sample Collection Activities” on 14-20 May 2023 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

H.E. Mr. Ismail Issa Ismail RIFAIE, Ambassador of Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to the Republic of Türkiye, paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Mrs. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General of SESRIC on 11 May 2023. The purpose of the visit was to congratulate H.E. Mrs. Selçuk on her appointment as the new Director General of SESRIC and discuss opportunities for enhancing collaboration between national institutions of Jordan and SESRIC, emphasizing areas of mutual interest and shared objectives.

SESRIC staff participated in a two-day intensive training programme on diplomacy, provided by the Diplomacy Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye in Ankara on 11-12 May 2023.

A delegation from the State Supervisory Council of the Republic of Türkiye, led by Chairman, H.E. Mr. Yunus ARINCI, visited SESRIC Headquarters. The delegation, which included H.E. Mr. Salih TANRIKULU, member of the Presidency State Supervisory Board and the Board of Directors of SESRIC, and Mr. İsmail KURUL, Board Member of the State Supervisory Council, extended their congratulations to H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK on her recent appointment as the Director General of SESRIC.

SESRIC and the Institute of Statistics (INSTAT) of the Republic of Albania 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 (TQS) into the National Surveys in Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Member Countries”.

SESRIC, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the CDC Foundation, organised the Orientation Workshop on “Tobacco Questions for Surveys of Youth (TQS-Youth)” on 09-10 May 2023 at SESRIC Headquarters in Ankara, Republic of Türkiye. The Workshop was participated by 43 delegates from the National Statistical Offices (NSOs), Ministries of Health, and Ministry of Youth of 18 OIC member countries. The representatives of the CDC, CDC Foundation, World Health Organization (WHO) Türkiye Country Office, and Turkish Green Crescent also participated in the Workshop. The objective of the Workshop was to provide additional information and technical support to the participants in integrating TQS-Youth into the ongoing youth-related national surveys in their respective countries.

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, in collaboration with UNDP Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development (IICPSD) and HP Foundation, organised a Training of Trainers (ToT) Programme on ‘Entrepreneurship Skills Development’ on 08-19 May 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

During a series of scheduled visits and meetings on the sidelines of the 8^th OIC Coordination Committee Meeting on Tourism, a SESRIC delegation, led by H.E. Mrs. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General of SESRIC, visited the Programme Coordination Office of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) in Baku on 4 May 2023.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised a Training Course on ‘Transport Statistics’ with the attendance of 38 participants from the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) of 16 OIC countries on 3-4 May 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

SESRIC delegation led by H.E. Mrs. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General of SESRIC, participated in the 8^th OIC Coordination Committee Meeting on Tourism on 3 May 2023 in Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan. The meeting was attended by the representatives from Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Qatar and Senegal, as well as the OIC General Secretariat, COMCEC Coordination Office, SESRIC, ICDT, IRCICA and SMIIC. The meeting was chaired by the Republic of Azerbaijan, in its capacity as the Chair of the 11^th Session of the  Islamic Conference of Tourism Ministers (ICTM).

Within the framework of SESRIC’s Social Development Capacity Building Programme (SD-CaB), SESRIC, in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security of the Republic of Türkiye and the Ministry of Family and Social Services of the Republic of Türkiye, organised a Training Workshop on “Developing Effective, Reliable, and Affordable Social Protection Services for Vulnerable Groups” on 02-04 May 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme and the UN-OIC Cooperation Matrix of Activities for 2022-2024, SESRIC organised a Training Course on ‘SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) Indicators’ with the attendance of 9 participants from the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) of 5 Arabic speaking OIC countries as well as representatives from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) on 2-4 May 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

H.E. Mrs. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General of SESRIC, met with H.E. Mr. Sahil Rafiq Oğlu BABAYEV, Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Republic of Azerbaijan on 2 May 2023, in Baku, Azerbaijan. The meeting took place alongside the 8^th Meeting of the Coordination Committee on Tourism.

SESRIC delegation headed by H.E. Mrs. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General of SESRIC, paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Mr. Tahir BUDAGOV, the Chairman of the State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SSC) on 2 May 2023 at the Committee’s Headquarters in Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan.

The SESRIC delegation, led by H.E. Ms. Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk, Director General of SESRIC, paid a visit to the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication (CAERC) of the Republic of Azerbaijan on 2 May 2023 in Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan, with the purpose of exploring potential avenues for collaboration, in accordance with the mandates of both institutions.

Among a series of planned meetings and visits to the relevant National Institutions in Baku on the sidelines of the 8^th OIC Coordination Committee Meeting on Tourism held on 03 May 2023, H.E. Mrs. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General of SESRIC, visited H.E. Mr. Ulvi Ramiz Oglu MEHDIYEV, Chairman of the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations (SAPSSI) under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan at ASAN service center in Baku on 02 May 2023.

The Permanent Representative of the Republic of Türkiye to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), H.E. Ambassador Mr. Mehmet Metin EKER paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Mrs. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General of SESRIC, on 28 April 2023.

The President of Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat), H.E. Dr. Erhan ÇETİNKAYA, paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Mrs. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General of SESRIC, on 27 April 2023.

Within the framework of the OIC Public Employment Services Network (OIC-PESNET), SESRIC, in collaboration with the Turkish Employment Agency (İŞKUR), organised two consecutive training webinars on “Engaging Employers in Apprenticeship Opportunities and Other Types of Work Based Learning” and “New Approaches in Job and Vocational Counselling Services” on 26-27 April 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

A Palestinian Delegation consisting of H.E. Mr. Faed MUSTAFA, Ambassador of the State of Palestine to the Republic of Türkiye, and H.E. Mr. Imad AL-ZUHAIRI, Assistant Minister for International Cooperation and Director General of the Palestinian International Cooperation Agency (PICA) under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the State of Palestine, paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Mrs. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK on 26 April 2023.

SESRIC held the third Technical Review Meeting on 13 April 2023 at its Headquarters in Ankara, Türkiye. The Meeting presented and discussed the outcomes of the latest SESRIC research report on “State of Elderly in OIC Member Countries”.

SESRIC held the second Technical Review Meeting on 11 April 2023 at its Headquarters in Ankara, Türkiye. The Meeting presented and discussed the outcomes of the latest SESRIC research report on “People with Disabilities and Special Needs in OIC Member Countries”. The Meeting was attended by H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General of SESRIC, along with the directors and experts from Research, Statistics, Training, and Publication departments.

SESRIC participated in the 5^th Meeting of the Subgroup on Gender Statistics Training (SGGST) organised in a virtual format by the UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. The purpose of the meeting was to review and approve the updated Terms of Reference (ToR) of the SGGST, as well as to reach consensus on the 2023 priority activities and draft the work plan.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General of SESRIC, has recently launched a new initiative to conduct a series of Technical Review Meetings at SESRIC HQs to discuss and evaluate the quality and relevance of the Centre’s research work.

SESRIC held a ceremony at its Headquarters in Ankara to mark the handover of duties from the outgoing Director General, H.E. Mr. Nebil Dabur, to the new Director General, H.E. Ms. Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme and upon the official request received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) of Republic of Indonesia, SESRIC organised a Training Course on ‘Basic Statistics for Diplomats’ with the attendance of 35 participants from the MoFA of Republic of Indonesia on 20-22 March 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

Within the framework of the 10^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 2023 implementation period, namely:

SESRIC and the Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Instrument Standardization (IAAIS) formalized their collaboration by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 15 March 2023. The MoU aims to facilitate and enhance technical cooperation between the two institutions in areas of mutual interest.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised a Training Course on ‘SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) Indicators’ with the attendance of 48 participants from the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) of 13 OIC countries on 14-15 March 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

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 organised a Training Workshop on “Promoting Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship in OIC Africa French-Speaking Member Countries” on 14-16 March 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

Within the framework of the Programme of Action for 2021-2025 set under the OIC-StatCom Strategic Vision for 2030 and its Webinar Series on Statistical Experience Sharing, SESRIC organised a Webinar on ‘Reporting Data on Islamic Financial Services Sector’ on 14 March 2023, in collaboration with Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB), United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), and UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA) with the participation of 67 official statisticians from the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) of 20 OIC member countries as well as representatives from the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

Within the framework of its Public Employment Services Capacity Building Programme (PES-CaB), SESRIC organised a Training Course on “Optimal Design of Unemployment Insurance and Employment Protection” on 07- 09 March 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

Within the framework of the SESRIC Central Banks Capacity Building Programme (CB-CaB), the Centre, in collaboration with the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF), organised a Training Course on “Islamic Banking and Finance for Central Banks and Monetary Authorities” on 06-08 March 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

SESRIC, in its capacity as the Secretariat of the OIC Statistical Commission (OIC-StatCom), organised the Follow-up Meeting of the OIC-StatCom on 2 March 2023 as a side event of the 54^th Session of the United Nations Statistical Commission in New York, USA. 32 delegates from 17 OIC member countries as well as United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and CDC Foundation attended the meeting.

Within the framework of its Social Security Institutions Capacity Building Programme (SSI-CaB), SESRIC organized a Training Course on “Social Insurance Database Management” on 01-02 March 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

The SESRIC delegation headed by HE Mr. Nebil Dabur, Director General, and composed of Mr. Fadi Farasin, Assistant Director General, Dr. Atilla Karaman, Director of Statistics and Information Department, and Ms. Nenden Octavarulia Shanty, Senior Researcher, participated in the 54^th Session of United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC) and its side events on 28 February - 3 March 2023 in New York - USA.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme and the UN-OIC Cooperation Matrix of Activities for 2022-2024, SESRIC organised a Training Course on ‘SDG 1 (No Poverty) Indicators’ with the attendance of 19 participants from the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) of 7 French speaking OIC countries as well as representatives from Human Development Report Office (HDRO) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on 21-22 February 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

Within the framework of the Programme of Action for 2021-2025 set under the OIC-StatCom Strategic Vision for 2030 and its Webinar Series on Statistical Experience Sharing, SESRIC organised a Webinar on ‘Transforming Administrative Registers for Statistical Data Production’ on 14 February 2023, in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) with the participation of 103 official statisticians from the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) of 24 OIC member countries.

Within the framework of its Cotton Capacity Building Programme (Cotton-CaB), SESRIC organized a Training Course on “Productivity Enhancement of Cotton by Using Modern Agronomic Practices” on 14-16 February 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

Within the framework of its Water Resources Management Capacity Building Programme (Water-CaB) and in line with the relevant resolutions of the Fourth Session of the Islamic Conference of Ministers Responsible for Water, SESRIC organised a Training Workshop on “Water Governance and Integrated Water Resources Management in the OIC Member Countries” on 24-26 January 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised a Training Course on ‘SDG 1 (No Poverty) Indicators’ with the attendance of 26 participants from the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) of 16 OIC countries on 17-18 January 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

Within the framework of the SESRIC Competition Authorities Capacity Building Programme (CA-CaB), the Centre, in collaboration with the Turkish Competition Authority (TCA), organised a Workshop on “Competition Policy in Supporting Post-COVID-19 Economic Recovery” on 16-17 January 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.

Within the framework of its Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised a Training Course on ‘Government Finance, Fiscal and Public Sector Statistics’ with the attendance of 17 participants from the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) of 9 Arabic speaking OIC countries on 10-12 January 2023 through an online video conferencing platform.