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The Turkish Trade Ministry announced that Türkiye’s exports to Organization of Islamic Cooperation member countries reached $41.5 billion in the first seven months of 2026. This represented a gain of $345.7 million, equivalent to 0.8 percent growth from the comparable period in 2025, while overall trade volume with OIC nations advanced 2.2 percent to $69.2 billion. The ministry framed the results as evidence of deepening commercial integration across the 57-member bloc.
A ministry assessment found that the current contribution of OIC countries to total Turkish exports stands near 27 percent, with the 2026-2028 Medium Term Program targeting an increase to 30 percent by the end of the period. Egypt led the expansion among key destinations, with shipments rising $522.2 million to $2.8 billion, while Libya, Syria and Jordan followed with respective increases of $438.5 million to $2.2 billion, $296.8 million to $2.1 billion and $227.5 million to $1.3 billion. These country-level gains contributed to the overall seven-month performance reported by the ministry.
Turkish Statistical Institute data places total national exports at $161.6 billion for the January-July interval, reflecting a 3.4 percent rise from the previous year and providing scale for the OIC component. The Trade Ministry has pursued expanded ties with Islamic countries through sustained diplomacy, including 152 high-level contacts involving 57 nations during the first half of 2026. Such activities form part of a longer-term push to diversify markets and support export momentum.
Trade volume between Türkiye and OIC members has expanded 1.4 times over the past decade, climbing from $87.6 billion in 2013 to $119.1 billion by the close of 2025, according to ministry figures. The ministry noted that this historical trajectory underpins current objectives for further integration within the bloc. Officials continue to monitor bilateral flows to identify additional opportunities for growth in both exports and reciprocal trade.
Record monthly exports of $25.6 billion in July 2026 helped lift the cumulative total, the Trade Ministry reported, even as the overall trade deficit widened to $60.5 billion for the seven months. The export-to-import coverage ratio stood at 72.8 percent during the period, with non-energy and non-gold trade showing a stronger balance. These national trends inform the strategic emphasis placed on OIC partnerships.
The ministry’s statement highlighted the breadth of the OIC market as a destination for Turkish machinery, consumer goods and industrial products. Continued coordination with member states is expected to sustain the gradual upward movement observed in the first seven months. Data from the period will feed into ongoing reviews of the medium-term export strategy.
