ISTANBUL, February 17. /Dunyo IA/. The second meeting of Transport Ministers of the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), focused on advancing transport cooperation, was held in Istanbul, with participation from representatives of several Muslim-majority countries as well as high-level delegations and international organizations, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

The event was held under the theme “Strengthening Transport Connectivity to Deepen Fraternity among OIC Member States”.

The opening ceremony was led by Türkiye's Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, who highlighted the significance of reviving this high-level meeting for the first time in nearly 40 years.

The delegation of Uzbekistan, led by Minister of Transport Ilkhom Mahkamov, presented promising initiatives for developing the country’s regional and international transport infrastructure, expanding international transit corridors and implementing joint projects.

In his speech, Minister highlighted Uzbekistan's efforts to develop transport infrastructure and logistics, expand international transport routes, strengthen regional ties, ensure mutual connectivity, implement digital solutions in the industry and create favorable conditions for attracting investment.

Ilkhom Mahkamov also supported Abdulkadir Uraloğlu's initiative to establish a global Road Transport Center as a specialized body within the OIC. He presented proposals for holding a regular Transport Dialogue at the ministerial level of OIC member states, exploring the possibility of creating a unified OIC digital platform for multimodal transport and developing new routes connecting Central Asia with South Asia and the Gulf countries.

Within the framework of the event, a trilateral meeting was held between the transport ministers of Türkiye, Iran and Uzbekistan. The parties discussed the development of regional transport corridors, increasing freight volumes, effectively organizing logistics chains and simplifying border and customs procedures. The sides agreed on the rational use of existing and promising routes connecting Central Asia with the Middle East and Europe, as well as the implementation of new joint projects.

Following the meeting, participants supported initiatives to expand cooperation among member states in the transport sector, modernize infrastructure, and develop sustainable transport systems.

The event is of significant importance for strengthening Uzbekistan’s position in the international transport and logistics system, as well as for elevating strategic cooperation with Türkiye and Iran to a new level.