For a long time, Türkiye, specifically Istanbul, has been home to the most important offices and regional centers of the world's leading multilateral international organizations outside of their headquarters.

The largest office of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a sibling institution of the World Bank, is located in Istanbul. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) also has one of its most significant offices in Istanbul, which neighbors the Balkans, the Caucasus, Eurasia, the Middle East and North Africa. The UNDP's Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development (IICPSD) is also located in Istanbul.

In addition, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Numbers and Names (ICANN), established by the United States and conducting critical studies on the global internet network, has its regional office in Istanbul, overseeing 129 countries, after its headquarters in San Francisco.

Moreover, Istanbul hosts one of the most important offices of the European Investment and Development Bank and the U.N. Technology Bank, established by the U.N. to contribute to the technological development of underdeveloped countries.

The city's significance as a commercial, economic and diplomatic center, as well as a hub for transportation, logistics and production, cannot be overstated. Istanbul is a junction, transition and crossroads of accessibility, multifaceted communication and transportation networks between Asia, Europe, and Africa, three critically important continents.

As the Turkish republic approaches its 100th anniversary this year, it serves as an inspiration to neighboring countries with its reforms, democratic culture and technological advancements in various fields.

Bringing continents together

Over the past 25 years, the Turkish private sector has taken strong and sustainable steps toward institutionalization, becoming a key player in global trade and supply chains, research and development (R&D), innovation and the institutionalization of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

This valuable experience and knowledge are being shared by Türkiye and Istanbul with dozens of countries and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) through international studies and collaborations.

Hence, the establishment of the Istanbul Center of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which brings continents together under the leadership of the Turkish Trade Ministry with the support of the Foreign Ministry, should come as no surprise. This center will serve hundreds of thousands of square kilometers of geography and many countries with a total population of 1 billion. Despite facing delays because of the coronavirus pandemic, the OECD's Istanbul center has officially opened with full compliance with digital technology and cyber security standards.

Despite the COVID-19 quarantine and restriction measures, the OECD Istanbul Center was able to physically begin its activities in Istanbul's Odakule in June 2022. With the support of the Istanbul Chamber of Industry, it has organized numerous international summits, events, and meetings to compensate for the lost time. The Istanbul Chamber of Commerce hosted one of these meetings.

In a short amount of time, the OECD Istanbul Center has successfully strengthened the synergy between regional programs covering the Middle East and North Africa, Africa, Western Balkans and Southeastern Europe, Eurasia, South East Asia and Latin America under the organization's umbrella.

The center will hold summits, brainstorming meetings and projects focused on vital areas such as climate change, green energy transformation, digital transformation, gender equality and women's empowerment in business, the corporate transformation of SMEs, new financing opportunities for the real sector, strengthening the business environment, accessibility and a strong infrastructure investment network and sustainability.

As a result, Türkiye and Istanbul will continue to be global and regional centers of attraction.