The 19th Meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Exchanges Forum was held

The 19th Meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Exchanges Forum (Forum) was held online on September 23^rd, 2025. Representatives from 19 exchanges, 5 clearing, settlement and custody institutions and 11 sectoral institutions attended the meeting that was hosted by Borsa İstanbul.

Speaking at the opening session, Selçuk Koç, Director General at the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC) Coordination Office stated the following: “Exchanges play a key role in advancing and facilitating the growth of halal financial products. The OIC Exchanges Forum serves as a valuable platform for multilateral collaboration, enabling the development of new initiatives and implementing highly important projects in the economic domain.”

Making his remarks at the opening session, Korkmaz Ergun, Borsa İstanbul CEO and Board Member thanked the participants and said: “This Forum belongs to all of us. Collaboration is no longer optional, it is essential. The strength of our discussions, the relevance of our outcomes, and the vision we chart for tomorrow all depend on your active participation. Whether through your questions, your perspectives, or your bold ideas, we encourage every voice to be heard.” 

Following the opening session, the progress report was presented, after which the Forum proceeded to the panel discussion on its main theme “Building a Legal Framework for Islamic Capital Markets”. The session was moderated by Borsa İstanbul International Relations Director Mahmut Aydoğmuş and featured distinguished representatives from International Securities Lending Association (ISLA), International Capital Markets Association (ICMA), International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA), as well as two prominent international law firms.

The meeting also included a “Best Practice Sharing – Recent Developments in OIC Exchanges” session participated by the OIC member exchanges. Moderated by Borsa İstanbul’s Executive Vice President Güzhan Gülay, the session brought together Mr. Farrukh H. Sabzwari, CEO of Pakistan Stock Exchange, Mr. Ruslan Khalilov, CEO of Baku Stock Exchange, Mr. Tarik Senhaji, CEO of Casablanca Stock Exchange and Ms. Aina Zahari, Corporate Strategy Director of Bursa Malaysia who shared insights on recent developments within the OIC exchanges.

About the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Exchanges Forum:

The OIC Exchanges Forum was established in 2005 through the initiatives of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC) in order to strengthen cooperation and encourage the transfer of knowledge and experience among the exchanges of OIC member states. Borsa İstanbul acts as the secretariat of the Forum and brings together OIC exchanges, clearing and custody institutions every year as well as international sector institutions such as Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOFI), International Islamic Financial Market (IIFM), Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB) among others. Detailed information on forum activities can be found on the official website www.oicexchanges.org.