21st Meeting of the COMCEC Transport and Communications Working Group on ‘Measuring the Environmental Impacts of Transport Infrastructures in OIC Member Countries’
Date: 12-13 October 2023
Venue: Ankara - Türkiye

The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) participated in the 21st Meeting of the COMCEC Transport and Communications Working Group, organized by the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC), on October 12-13, 2023, in Ankara, Türkiye.

The meeting discussed a range of transport and communications issues in OIC member states, including environmental impacts of transport infrastructure:

  • Conceptual framework and global trends,
  • Environmental impact assessments in the transport sector,
  • Experience in environmental impact assessment processes for projects in the transport sector and in using innovative technologies to improve the efficiency and sustainability of transport and communications services.

The meeting was attended by representatives from OIC Member States, international organizations, and OIC institutions, including the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and the Islamic Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture. Dr. Ahmet ÖZTÜRK, the senior researcher at the Statistics and Information Department, Ms. Buhara ASLAN, the researcher at the Economic and Social Research Department, and Ms. Alia Sharify ORTAQ, the project officer at the Training and Technical Cooperation Department, represented the Centre there at.

SESRIC presented its transport and communications-related capacity-building activities and projects in research, statistics, training, and technical cooperation at the meeting which was a valuable opportunity to share experiences and best practices and identify areas for further collaboration.

At the conclusion of the 21st Meeting of the COMCEC Transport and Communications Working Group, the participants discussed a list of policy recommendations to measure the environmental impacts of transport infrastructure in OIC member countries. As part of the meeting, the participants also visited the Ankara High-Speed Train Station. The visit provided a practical understanding of the issues discussed during the meeting and was a great opportunity for the participants to witness the implementation of innovative technologies in the transport sector.

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