Qatar led efforts to strengthen cooperation among OIC member states during the 41st COMCEC session. The meeting took place in Istanbul from 1–4 November 2025, and Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan chaired the session.
Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani, Qatar’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, chaired the Qatari delegation. He opened the meeting on behalf of the Arab Group and emphasized the group’s role in coordinating economic policies and initiatives.
He stressed that member states must deepen economic collaboration while confronting regional and global challenges. In addition, he called for unified efforts to enhance security, stability, and sustainable development.
The Minister urged countries to boost intra-OIC investment and economic integration. He noted that joint action is essential to strengthen growth across the region.
Faisal highlighted that despite recent crises, OIC countries’ combined GDP is projected to reach $31.6 trillion by 2026. This represents a growth rate of 6.38 percent.
He reported that diversification, domestic production, and regional cooperation have strengthened intra-OIC commercial activity. Consequently, economic exchanges rose 13.56 percent, from $883 billion in 2023 to $1 trillion in 2024. Likewise, the share of intra-OIC commerce in total foreign trade increased from 19.16 percent to 20.36 percent.
The Minister also praised Türkiye’s role in advancing the COMCEC Strategy and the Programme of Action (2016–2025). In addition, he met with Ömer Bolat, Türkiye’s Minister of Trade, Hassan Elkhatib, Egypt’s Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, and Atheer Dawoud Al-Ghurairi, Iraq’s Minister of Trade. They discussed ways to expand economic cooperation and integration.
Analysts expect the session to strengthen regional links, improve intra-OIC commerce, and create new investment opportunities. Member states are likely to accelerate initiatives and deepen collaboration in the coming months.
Overall, the 41st COMCEC session highlighted trade as a key driver of economic integration and regional stability. Therefore, countries plan to take concrete steps to enhance cooperation and promote prosperity across the OIC bloc.
