As part of the 14^th Session of the OIC Statistical Commission (OIC-StatCom), Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) hosted a side event focusing on the “National Statistical System of Türkiye” on 3 October 2025 at TurkStat Headquarters in Ankara, Republic of Türkiye.

The session opened with welcoming remarks by H.E. Dr. Erhan ÇETİNKAYA, President of the TurkStat and Chair of the 14^th Session of the OIC-StatCom. In his address, H.E. Dr. ÇETİNKAYA reiterated that as TurkStat, they are honoured to host this important event and to serve as the Chair of the Commission, describing it as a valuable opportunity to further strengthen cooperation and foster shared progress in statistical development among OIC countries. He reaffirmed TurkStat’s readiness to collaborate with all Member States, underlining its strong commitment to building partnerships, supporting capacity-building initiatives, and promoting the modernization of national statistical systems. H.E. Dr. ÇETİNKAYA also highlighted the signing of new Memorandums of Understanding with the State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Arab Institute for Training and Research in Statistics (AITRS), describing these agreements as bridges of cooperation for sharing knowledge and innovative solutions.

In her opening remarks, H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General of SESRIC, speaking on behalf of the Secretariat of the OIC-StatCom, extended her sincere appreciation to TurkStat for hosting the delegations and expressed gratitude to H.E. Dr. ÇETINKAYA for his warm hospitality. H.E. SELÇUK also underlined TurkStat’s remarkable contribution within the framework of SESRIC’s Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, noting that since the initiation of the Programme in 2007, TurkStat has contributed to 120 activities, including training courses, study visits, and workshops, by sharing its expertise, knowledge, and experience with the National Statistical Offices of OIC countries. She emphasized that this high level of contribution reflects TurkStat’s ongoing commitment to advancing statistical capacity across the OIC region. H.E. SELÇUK also congratulated TurkStat once again on assuming the Chairmanship of the 14^th Session of the OIC-StatCom, which coincides with Türkiye’s Chairmanship of the 51^st Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers.

The programme featured institutional and technical presentations showcasing TurkStat’s extensive experience, achievements, and ongoing efforts in strengthening statistical systems and fostering international cooperation. The event also provided an opportunity for TurkStat to share practical experiences and good practices with other National Statistical Offices, particularly within the framework of the StatCaB Programme and other joint initiatives led by SESRIC and other relevant international and regional partners.

The side event served as an interactive platform for delegates and participants to explore new avenues for collaboration and to reinforce the collective commitment of OIC countries towards advancing official statistics for sustainable development.

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