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.

H.E. SELÇUK emphasized SESRIC's commitment to research and data-driven analysis, aiming to provide valuable insights for policymaking and evidence-based decision-making across OIC countries. Uzbekistan, being an OIC member country since 1996, has been incorporated into all technical reports on social and economic activities prepared by SESRIC.

The 2022 edition of SESRIC's "OIC Economic Outlook" report recognized Uzbekistan as one of the fastest-growing OIC economies in 2021, ranking 7^th with a real GDP growth rate of 7.4%. The report also acknowledged Uzbekistan's achievements in various other fields, such as agriculture, forestry, and youth literacy. Moreover, SESRIC has organized a total of 81 capacity-building activities for the benefit of public institutions in Uzbekistan, contributing to the smooth exchange of statistical data and information.

She also highlighted SESRIC's willingness to supporting students from OIC countries studying in Türkiye through the SESRIC Emerging Talents Capacity Building Programme (SETCAB). In this respect, the Centre is inviting Uzbek students to apply to this program by offering them practical work experience and exposure through fields such as statistics, socio-economic research, and training.

Furthermore, following the declaration of the 11^th Session of the Islamic Conference of Tourism Ministers (ICTM), held in June 2022 in Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan, the city of Khiva was selected as the “OIC City of Tourism” for 2024. In this respect, efforts between SESRIC and Uzbekistan can be extended to holding joint events that commemorate Khiva and raise further awareness about its significance in the region.

Lastly, she emphasized the importance of signing Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements with relevant national institutions in member countries to strengthen cooperation and facilitate the implementation of joint activities. In this perspective, SESRIC has recently established positive connections with the Banking and Finance Academy in Uzbekistan and looks forward to signing an MoU with them to enhance more avenues of work.

In closing, H.E. SELÇUK highlighted that through deepening ties and leveraging expertise, SESRIC can achieve better outcomes that contribute to the development and well-being of the OIC community as a whole.