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Türkiye hosts the following organs of the Organization;
– two subsidiary organs:
- Statistical, Economic and Social Research Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC),
- Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA)
– A Standing Committee: The Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC)
– and four affiliate institutions:
- Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF)
- Organization of Islamic Cooperation Broadcasting Regulating Authorities Forum (IBRAF)
- Federation of Consultants from Islamic Countries (FCIC)
- Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC)
– and a representation of specialized institution: Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Office of Türkiye.
In addition, OIC Arbitration Centre commenced its operations in Istanbul since November 2021, while the establishment of OIC Media Forum (OMF) and OIC Police Cooperation and Coordination Centre (PCCC) are underway.
The Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC)
COMCEC is chaired by H.E. Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Türkiye, and holds its meetings in Türkiye every year, once at the Ministerial level and once at technical level as Monitoring Committee.
COMCEC’s new strategy and revised Statute were adopted at the 4 th Extraordinary Islamic Summit held in Mecca in 2012. The new COMCEC strategy was confirmed at the 13 th Islamic Summit Final Communique held in Istanbul.
The Working Groups and COMCEC Project Funding instruments, established by the Strategy, are becoming steadily more important. The recognition of the OIC Arbitration Centre and bringing the OIC Preferential Trade System into force as soon as possible are among the priorities of Türkiye with regards to COMCEC.
The 40th Ministerial Meeting of COMCEC, chaired by the President of the Republic of Türkiye, was held in Istanbul on 2-5 November 2024 under the theme of “Digital Transformation of Payment Systems in OIC Member Countries,” with the participation of 42 OIC Member Countries, including 31 Ministers/Vice Ministers from member/observer countries.
The 41st Ministerial Meeting of COMCEC is planned to be held in Türkiye on 1-4 November 2025 under the theme of “Improving Export Strategies in the OIC Member Countries”.
Organization of Islamic Cooperation Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA):
IRCICA, the headquarters of which is located in Istanbul, acts as a focal point and meeting place for scholars, researchers, artists, institutions, organisations working on Islamic history, culture, civilization and art; endeavours to eliminate prejudice against Islamic culture and civilization, to project their correct image, to inform the world opinion on their role and place in world civilization, and to promote a better understanding and dialogue between Muslim countries and other societies of the world; undertakes research in these fields and publishes books, bibliographies, catalogues, albums and other reference works to reinforce awareness of these subjects in public opinion.
Prof. Dr. Mahmud Erol Kılıç, a Retired Ambassador, has occupied the position of Director General for IRCICA since May 2021.
Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC):
Located in Ankara, SESRIC is responsible for collecting, collating and disseminating socio-economic statistics regarding the Member States, for the use of the Member States; researching, evaluating and reporting the economic and social development in the Member States to help generate proposals that will enhance co-operation among them; organizing training programmes in selected fields geared to the expressed needs of the Member States, as well as to the general objectives of the OIC.
Following the termination of the term of office of the previous Director General Nabil Dabur, former Turkish Minister of Family, Labour and Social Services, Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk was elected as the Director General of SESRIC and assumed her duty as of 27 March 2023.
Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF):
The Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF), one of the affiliated organizations of the OIC, was established in Istanbul under the name of “Islamic Conference Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation” by the Founding General Assembly convened in Baku on 1-3 December 2004 in accordance with the decision adopted at the 31 st meeting of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) held in Istanbul in 2004. At the 3 rd General Assembly held in 2018, the name of the organization was changed to ICYF.
ICYF has over 40 members from national youth organizations of OIC member states and international youth organizations. (In OIC, institutions and organizations, not countries, become members of the structures with the status of relevant organizations.)
Taha Ayhan has been serving as the President of ICYF since December 2018.
The Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC):
The Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), headquartered in Istanbul, was established in 2010 and has 29 members including Türkiye (Türkiye, UAE, Algeria, Morocco, Guinea, Libya, Cameroon, Mali, Pakistan, Sudan, Somalia, Tunisia, Jordan, Gabon, Gambia, Iran, Senegal, Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Benin, Niger, Suriname, Mauritania, Uganda and Malaysia) and 2 observer members (TRNC and Bosnia and Herzegovina). The membership of all OIC member countries to SMIIC is a primary objective of the mentioned Institute.
SMIIC aims to harmonize the standards which adversely affect trade in Islamic countries, establish common standards, develop a joint certification system, and also carries out laboratory tests and quality control, issues certificates of conformity to standards and quality, and provides training opportunities to member countries.
Technical Committees under SMIIC operate in areas such as Halal Food Issues, Halal Cosmetics Issues, Service Place Certification Issues, Renewable Energy, Tourism, Agricultural Activities, Transport, Accreditation, Terminology and Finance.
The Ministry of Development and TSI prioritize the implementation of SMIIC and the certification of halal food standards within SMIIC, stressing that this will greatly contribute to the economic interests of our country, especially our exports to Islamic countries. Establishing common standards and a certification system among Islamic countries is of particular importance considering the halal food market, which is worth over 1 trillion US Dollars annually.
İhsan Övüt has been serving as the Secretary General of SMIIC since April 2018.
The OIC Centre for Police Cooperation and Coordination
The proposal to establish a centre under the name of “The OIC Centre for Police Cooperation and Coordination” in Istanbul, where membership is voluntary and with the status of an expert organisation, in order to strengthen cooperation among the organisations of the member countries and to carry out capacity building activities, was accepted at the 13th Islamic Summit hosted by Türkiye.
The Charter of the Centre was submitted to and approved by the 45th CFM held in Dhaka on 5-6 May 2018. The Charter was signed by Türkiye at the 46th CFM held in Abu Dhabi on 1-2 March 2019.
Currently, the number of Member States which have signed the CPCC Regulation has reached up to 7 with Qatar, Mauritania, Benin, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia, and Libya in addition to Türkiye.
The OIC Media Forum
The establishment of the OIC Media Forum, which is intended to contribute to the realization of concrete projects, the organisation of training programs, and the development of programs to fight against Islamophobia among the information institutions of the OIC member countries, was decided at the 9th Meeting of the OIC Ministers of Information (Libreville, Gabon, 19-20 April 2012); the establishment of the Forum with its headquarters in Istanbul was confirmed at the 40th CFM (Council of Foreign Ministers) held in Conakry, the capital of Guinea, on 9-11 December 2013 and the Forum was granted the status of an OIC related institution.
