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.

The delegation visited SESRIC Headquarters to congratulate H.E. Mrs. SELÇUK on her appointment as the new Director General of SESRIC and to discuss ways and means of further enhancing collaboration between Palestinian national institutions and SESRIC, focusing on areas of mutual interest and shared objectives.

H.E. Mrs. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, Director General of SESRIC, congratulated the delegation on the well-deserved and newly received Presidential award on the remarkable efforts and heartwarming solidarity immediately displayed by the State of Palestine after the devastating earthquakes that hit Türkiye on 6 February 2023. H.E. Mr. Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN, President of the Republic of Türkiye, presented the award during the Presidential Medal and Order of Distinguished Humanitarian Service Ceremony that was held on 25 April 2023 in Ankara, Türkiye. The Ceremony was held to honour domestic and foreign teams from various organizations and countries, including 25 OIC Member Countries, which contributed to the search and rescue efforts after the powerful earthquakes that hit the southern region of Türkiye.

Furthermore, H.E. Mrs. SELÇUK provided an overview of SESRIC's partnership with Palestinian national institutions and highlighted the various joint initiatives undertaken over the years. She also discussed the expectations and prospects for strengthening cooperation in the future.

The delegation expressed gratitude for SESRIC's continuous efforts towards supporting the State of Palestine and the Centre's valuable contributions in building the human and institutional capacities of the Palestinian national institutions. H.E. Mr. MUSTAFA and H.E. Mr. AL-ZUHAIRI emphasized the importance of the OIC’s role in defending the just cause of Palestine on the global stage and stressed the importance of coordination and cooperation among the OIC and its institutions and offices and the Palestinian national institutions in support of Palestine.

To further strengthen cooperation, SESRIC's Director General proposed several measures, such as identifying specific areas of collaboration, encouraging more active participation of Palestinian institutions in SESRIC's activities and initiatives, fostering joint research projects, and facilitating regular communication and dialogue between organizations.

She also highlighted SESRIC’s extensive array of capacity building initiatives, comprehensive reports, and in-depth studies encompassing a diverse spectrum of topics within social and economic domains, offering evidence-based guidance to policymakers in the OIC region, identifying key developmental challenges, and proposing concrete policy solutions. H.E. Mrs. SELÇUK also noted that the State of Palestine has consistently been featured and emphasized in these reports, while relevant Palestinian national institutions have been extended invitations to partake in and benefit from the activities and programs organized by SESRIC.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to deepen collaboration between Palestinian national institutions and SESRIC to address key challenges and contribute to the socio-economic development of the State of Palestine and the wider OIC community.