Turkish trade minister meets with counterparts at COMCEC session in Istanbul

By Ugur Arslanhan

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat met Sunday with his counterparts from Gambia, Palestine, Cameroon and Saudi Arabia during the 40th Ministerial Session of the Standing Committee For Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC) of the Organization Of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul.

Bolat emphasized the importance of enhancing bilateral trade relations with Gambia, focusing on infrastructure, energy production and customs efficiency.

"We will continue our support for the construction and development of the State of Palestine," he said during discussions with Palestinian National Economy Minister Mohammed Al-Amour, where they addressed the urgent need to halt Israeli attacks.

In a meeting with Cameroon’s Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, Bolat expressed Türkiye’s commitment to strengthening economic ties.

"We wish to collaborate in areas such as infrastructure, energy needs and renewable energy," he said.

He also announced plans for a third meeting of the Joint Economic Commission in the capital Yaoundé.

Concluding his engagements, Bolat met with Saudi Arabian Commerce Minister Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi, discussing goals to increase the foreign trade volume to $10 billion in the short term and $30 billion in the medium and long term.

"In this direction, we aim to diversify our areas of cooperation," he said, expressing optimism about recent agreements.

The meetings, allowing brief opportunities for journalists to capture images, concluded behind closed doors, underscoring the significance of diplomatic collaboration among the nations involved.

*Writing by Gizem Nisa Cebi