Erdogan meets OECD chief Cormann in Istanbul for closed-door talks

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a closed-door meeting with Mathias Cormann, Secretary-General of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), in Istanbul on Monday, according to diplomatic sources. The meeting was also attended by Turkish Labor and Social Security Minister Vedat Isikhan and Education Minister Yusuf Tekin. No further details about the discussions were immediately released.

Strategic importance of the meeting

The meeting comes at a critical time for Türkiye’s economy, as the country navigates high inflation, energy price shocks from the Iran war, and the implementation of its carbon trading system under the 2025 Climate Law. Türkiye has been seeking OECD support for its green transformation agenda, as well as technical assistance on labor market reforms and education modernization. The OECD has previously praised Türkiye’s renewable energy expansion but has also called for tighter monetary policy.

Türkiye-OECD cooperation

Türkiye has been an OECD member since 1961 and has recently collaborated with the organization on projects including the Middle Corridor development, anti-corruption measures, and digital economy regulations. Erdogan’s direct engagement with Cormann suggests Ankara is seeking to deepen cooperation ahead of Türkiye’s hosting of COP31 in Antalya later this year. The presence of the labor and education ministers indicates that social policy and human capital development were likely on the agenda.