12.02.2026 11:43
President Erdoğan sent a video message to the meeting of the Transport Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Emphasizing the importance of major projects in Turkey, Erdoğan stated, "We have fortified global trade routes with our major projects such as Marmaray, the Eurasia Tunnel, the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge, and the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge. Our goal is to strengthen integration with the member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, develop cross-border corridors, and create added value through joint projects."
President Erdoğan sent a video message to the meeting of the Transport Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. He expressed his hopes that the meeting would be beneficial for the Islamic world and all humanity, saying, "I welcome each of our guests who have come to our Istanbul from different corners of the Islamic geography; you have honored us."
Emphasizing that we are going through a process where geographical distances have lost their importance but strategic connections have gained unprecedented value, Erdoğan stated:
"UNDERWENT A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE"
"The first conference on transportation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation was held about 40 years ago. During this period, the world economy, trade routes, production centers, and transportation technologies have also undergone a profound transformation. Transportation has become one of the fundamental elements of development, competitiveness, and regional integration, beyond just ensuring the mobility of goods and people. The Islamic world, extending from Asia to Africa, from Europe to the Middle East, dominates this vast geography with natural corridors, a dynamic and young population, and rapidly growing markets. However, to fully realize this great potential and transform geographical advantages into strategic power, effective, reliable, and integrated transportation networks are needed."
"STRENGTHENED GLOBAL TRADE ROUTES"
President Erdoğan stated that they believe strong connections to be established between roads, railways, ports, and airports will not only increase trade among Islamic countries but also enhance social and cultural interaction:
"As Turkey, we have tried to materialize this understanding with large-scale projects we have implemented in the transportation sector in recent years. With our giant projects such as Marmaray, the Eurasia Tunnel, the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge, and the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, we have strengthened global trade routes. Our modern railway lines have made significant progress in freight and passenger transportation. Our major port investments have enhanced our maritime transportation capacity. Our initiatives in aviation have made our country one of the leading centers of global air transportation."
"WE DO NOT EVALUATE INVESTMENTS ONLY WITHIN A NATIONAL FRAMEWORK"
Expressing that they have revitalized the historical Silk Road with modern understanding through their support for the East-West Trans-Caspian Corridor Project, Erdoğan continued:
"However, we do not evaluate these investments only within a national framework. Our goal is to strengthen integration with the member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, develop cross-border corridors, and create added value through joint projects. As you know, as a result of the constructive negotiations we conducted throughout our conference, we have taken significant steps. We have made important decisions regarding the establishment of a roadmap to strengthen transportation routes among member countries, increasing solidarity on international platforms, and preparing a Transportation Connectivity Strategy Document under Turkey's presidency. Undoubtedly, it is important that technical meetings are not disrupted and that follow-up mechanisms are operated meticulously for the effective implementation of the decisions. We believe that the will we have demonstrated today will pave the way for this. On this occasion, I wish our meeting to be beneficial and thank the participating countries."