On the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meetings, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met with Mr. Musa Kulaklıkaya, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, on Monday, 21 September 2026, at the Turkish House in New York City.

The meeting explored prospects for advancing cooperation between ICESCO and the Republic of Türkiye in education, science, and culture, as well as the possibility of Türkiye joining the Organization membership.

Dr. AlMalik stated that the Republic of Türkiye’s accession to ICESCO would bring significant added value to the Organization, given its influential standing and prominent presence in the Islamic world, its rich civilizational heritage, advanced experience in education and scientific research, and deep-rooted cultural legacy.

For his part, Mr. Kulaklıkaya stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation between ICESCO and Turkish institutions, foremost among them the Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA) and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA). He also emphasized the need to organize joint conferences and seminars and implement initiatives that advance shared priorities.

At the close of the meeting, the two sides agreed to maintain coordination and intensify efforts to build an effective institutional partnership that contributes to achieving ICESCO’s objectives and serving the countries and peoples of the Islamic world.