Islamic world must act against Israeli atrocities: Turkish VP
Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz urged the Islamic world to adopt concrete measures against Israeli atrocities in Palestine during the closing session of the 42nd COMCEC ministerial meeting in Istanbul, highlighting new solidarity projects and economic cooperation frameworks.
Yilmaz urges concrete steps against Israeli atrocities
Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz on Tuesday (3 November) called on Islamic countries to take resolute action against Israeli atrocities in Palestine, warning that the Netanyahu administration continues to inflict suffering on Palestinians despite ceasefire declarations.
Speaking at the closing session of the 42nd Ministerial Meeting of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Istanbul, Yilmaz emphasized the need for tangible support rather than rhetoric.
"Despite the declaration of a ceasefire, the Netanyahu administration's continuation of massacres on flimsy pretexts at every opportunity, the failure to transition to the next phase of the ceasefire, and the obstruction of humanitarian aid increase the suffering of our Palestinian brothers day by day," Yilmaz said.
He added that solidarity requires action: "As the Islamic world, we must stand most strongly against this oppression and support Palestine, especially Gaza, with all our means through concrete steps," he stated.
COMCEC rolls out aid programs for Palestine, Syria
Yilmaz highlighted COMCEC's dedicated Al-Quds Program as a direct channel of assistance, noting that 10 new projects were launched this year to add to 28 previously completed initiatives supporting Palestinians.
The vice president also pointed to progress under the COMCEC Syria Program, which began operations this year with five active projects designed to rebuild human and institutional capacity while stimulating economic recovery.
The ministerial gathering at Istanbul Congress Center brought together representatives from across the Islamic world, with Yilmaz noting that 24 countries and 12 international organizations held 62 bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit.
The shared determination demonstrated during these sessions confirmed the will to overcome regional tensions through diplomatic engagement, he said.
OIC targets 25% intra-bloc trade share
Addressing economic frameworks, Yilmaz reiterated the Organization of Islamic Cooperation's goal of increasing intra-bloc trade to 25 percent of total commerce among member states.
He underscored the importance of expanding the Trade Preferential System among OIC members, adding that incorporating services, investments, digital trade and facilitation mechanisms would accelerate regional integration.
The vice president urged members to develop effective trade finance instruments — including export credits, guarantee and insurance mechanisms, supply chain finance and Islamic finance solutions — to boost exports from small and medium-sized enterprises.
He also called for strengthening the OIC Arbitration Center to resolve commercial disputes swiftly and for operationalizing the Islamic Forum for Halal Accreditation Bodies to dismantle non-tariff barriers through mutual recognition of certificates.
Institutional projects expand across member states
Under COMCEC's Project Financing mechanism, 31 new initiatives are underway this year spanning education, technical cooperation, digital capacity and institutional development, bringing the total number of supported projects to 209 since 2013 with participation from all member states.
Yilmaz expressed confidence that ongoing discussions on financial instruments will lay the groundwork for expanded partnerships.
Next year's ministerial exchange session will focus on deploying Islamic finance instruments to ensure food security across member states, a theme Yilmaz described as vital for development priorities throughout the Islamic world.
The 42nd COMCEC meeting concluded Tuesday at the Istanbul Congress Center following four days of deliberations on economic and commercial cooperation.
Source: Yeni Safak