On the margins of the Training Workshop on Quality Assurance for Countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Dr. Ziad ABDALLAH, Director General of the Arab Institute for Training and Research in Statistics (AITRS), at the SESRIC Headquarters in Ankara.

The meeting served as an important platform to explore avenues of enhanced institutional collaboration and to reaffirm the shared commitment to improving statistical quality standards across OIC countries. Both sides exchanged views on synergising efforts in the field of statistics through joint capacity-building programmes, knowledge-sharing platforms, and technical cooperation tailored to the evolving needs of national statistical offices.

In her remarks, H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK emphasised the vital role of institutional partnerships in elevating the quality and credibility of official statistics where data quality directly influences development outcomes, adding that SESRIC is committed to working closely with institutions such as AITRS to build resilient and efficient statistical ecosystems across the OIC region.

H.E. Dr. Ziad ABDALLAH expressed appreciation for SESRIC’s continued efforts and collaborative spirit, stating that AITRS highly values its partnership with SESRIC to help improve statistical capacities in the Arab and broader OIC region.

The meeting concluded with a mutual understanding to enhance institutional engagement through future collaborative projects and high-impact training initiatives aimed at promoting regional knowledge exchange and elevating the technical competencies of statistical institutions.