Istanbul:On behalf of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, and Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Republic of Türkiye, participated in the 42nd session of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC), held in Istanbul from October 31 to November 3, 2026.
According to Sharjah 24, the ministerial-level meeting was inaugurated by Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of the Republic of Türkiye, and gathered leaders, senior officials, and representatives from OIC member states. Al Zeyoudi conveyed greetings from President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to President Erdogan and other leaders, expressing wishes for progress and prosperity among OIC nations.
In his address, Al Zeyoudi emphasized the UAE's commitment to enhancing economic, trade, and investment cooperation with OIC member states, aiming for sustainable strategic partnerships. Highlighting the OIC's potential to boost intra-organisation trade, he called for developing trade finance instruments, activating trade preferential systems, and leveraging technology to increase exports and competitiveness.
Al Zeyoudi underscored the importance of economic integration amidst geopolitical and economic shifts affecting global trade and supply chains. He noted OIC member states' contribution to global GDP and exports, stressing the need for trade preferences, logistics expansion, and digital transformation to improve trade flows.
He cited the UAE’s significant non-oil trade with OIC states, highlighting its position as a global trade hub with advanced infrastructure and partnerships. The UAE's non-oil foreign trade with OIC members reached $358.1 billion in 2025, with a notable increase in 2026.
Al Zeyoudi also shared the UAE's experience with Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements as a means to enhance trade openness and affirmed the UAE's support for OIC-led initiatives. Sultan Al Mansoori thanked Türkiye for hosting the session and reiterated the UAE's focus on economic cooperation to advance integration among OIC states.