H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK, paid on a courtesy visit to H.E. Mr. Fahad Assaad A. ABUALNASR, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Ankara. The meeting, held on 9 October 2023, served as a platform to explore avenues for mutual cooperation in various domains.

Saudi Arabia's pivotal role as an esteemed member of the OIC was highlighted during the discussions. It was underscored that Saudi Arabia features prominently in SESRIC's technical reports on social and economic matters.

In SESRIC's 2022 "OIC Economic Outlook" report, Saudi Arabia was notably acknowledged as the largest exporter to and the third-largest importer from OIC countries (after the UAE and Türkiye) in 2021, illustrating its substantial contribution to intra-OIC trade. Additionally, Saudi Arabia exhibited commendable economic performance by boasting the largest current account surplus in nominal terms, the third-largest Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows, and holding the highest international reserves, thus exemplifying its economic resilience.

The collaboration between SESRIC and Saudi national institutions was also emphasized during the meeting. SESRIC has organized a total of 91 capacity-building activities for the benefit of 114 public institutions in Saudi Arabia.

Both parties expressed their eagerness to expand joint initiatives, with potential areas of cooperation including participation in capacity-building activities, knowledge sharing between SESRIC and various Saudi national institutions.

The visit highlighted the fruitful dialogue between SESRIC and Saudi Arabia, paving the way for further joint initiatives and strengthening ties between both entities.