Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) —  The 40th session of the Committee for Economic and Trade Cooperation (COMCEC) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was held in Istanbul, Türkiye, with the participation of Uzbekistan’s Minister of Digital Technologies Sherzod Shermatov.

The event brought together over 50 representatives from OIC member states, including Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, Indonesia, and Pakistan. This meeting serves as one of the key platforms for economic and trade cooperation in the Islamic world and plays a vital role in advancing economic integration among the participating states.

The session provided a venue for discussing pressing economic issues and strengthening cooperation between Islamic countries.

The COMCEC Committee was established in 1984 with the goal of promoting economic cooperation and trade development among its members. Over the years, it has become an essential tool for implementing joint economic initiatives and projects aimed at improving living conditions in OIC countries.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan opened the session and highlighted critical issues such as the fight against poverty, collaboration in digital transformation, and deepening financial partnerships. Erdoğan emphasized that joint efforts among OIC countries could significantly improve the quality of life for their citizens.

Key speeches were also made by OIC Secretary-General Hussein Ibrahim Taha, who stressed the need for collective efforts to achieve sustainable economic growth, and by the President of the Islamic Development Bank, Muhammad Al-Jasser, who presented reports on funding sustainable development projects.

Minister Sherzod Shermatov participated in a panel discussion, sharing Uzbekistan’s achievements in digital infrastructure and transformation, noting significant progress in the development of the digital economy.

He also emphasized the importance of international cooperation and invited delegations to the UN Public Service Forum 2025, which will be held in Samarkand. Participants highly appreciated Uzbekistan's accomplishments and its key role in the digital transformation of the region.