Tunisian Trade Minister Samir Abid has urged the development of innovative mechanisms to finance trade and exports among member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. This call was made during his participation in the 42nd session of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, held in Istanbul on November 2-3, 2026. Abid emphasized the importance of developing trade finance tools to enhance the competitiveness of exporting institutions.
The Minister highlighted the significance of this approach in the face of rising protectionism, trade wars, and disruptions to international supply chains. He also noted the increasing costs of production and transportation, as well as growing commercial and geopolitical risks. These factors, he argued, affect the activity of exporting institutions and their ability to expand into international markets.
Abid reviewed Tunisia's experience in trade finance and export development, which is based on the integration of state interventions and public structures concerned with promoting exports. This experience also involves a system of specialized institutions for financing, guaranteeing, insuring, and promoting exports. Additionally, Tunisia provides trade facilitation, digitization of foreign trade procedures, risk sharing, and insurance of receivables.
The Minister stressed the need to deepen cooperation between financing and guarantee institutions and structures supporting institutions in member states. He also emphasized the importance of leveraging the role of institutions affiliated with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Islamic Development Bank Group in financing trade, guaranteeing exports, and investments.
Abid called for the development of practical programs and projects that integrate the roles of various institutions within the Organization. This would ensure a link between financing, guaranteeing, insuring, and procedural facilitation, and help build productive and commercial value chains. It would also support the development of necessary infrastructure for trade exchanges between member states.
The 42nd session of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation was chaired by Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz. The session was attended by 25 ministers of trade, economy, and finance from member states, under the theme "Developing Effective Trade Finance Tools to Increase Exports in OIC Member States."
On the sidelines of the meeting, Abid held bilateral meetings with several counterparts, including trade ministers from Turkey, Libya, Niger, Djibouti, Pakistan, Egypt, and Senegal. He also met with the CEO of the International Islamic Trade Finance Institution, Adib Yousif Al-A'ma. These meetings focused on discussing the reality of bilateral economic and trade relations and exploring new opportunities for trade and investment.
Key points
- Tunisian Trade Minister Samir Abid calls for innovative mechanisms to finance trade and exports among Islamic countries.
- The 42nd session of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation was held in Istanbul on November 2-3, 2026.
- Abid emphasized the importance of developing trade finance tools to enhance the competitiveness of exporting institutions.
