3rd International Islamic Union Congress was Held in Istanbul

The 3rd International Islamic Union Congress was held on 19-20 December 2019, with the theme of "ASRIKA Joint Defense Industry Production", at the Istanbul Pullman Hotel Convention Center, in cooperation with the Union of NGOs of the Islamic World (UNIT), the Association of Justice Defenders Strategic Research Center (ASSAM) and Üsküdar University. Civilian and military representatives, expert researchers and civil society leaders from many countries around the world attended the congress.

In the program, which started with the recitation of the Quran, the topics of establishing Joint Military Standardization Centers of Islamic countries, determining the cooperation and establishment issues between Islamic countries, determining and developing the defense industry products used and produced by Islamic countries were discussed.

In his opening speech, Adnan Tanrıverdi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Strategic Research Center Association of Justice Defenders (ASSAM) and Chief Advisor to the President, stated that one of the primary conditions for independence and being a sovereign power is that the weapons used by countries belong to them, and said: "National interests cannot be protected with someone else's weapon. States cannot guarantee security, peace and prosperity in their countries with someone else's weapon. States cannot be considered sovereign in their countries with someone else's weapon. States cannot stand up against the countries whose weapons they use." he said.

Following the congress, Deputy Minister of Treasury and Finance Nureddin Nebati, President of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş, UNIW Deputy Secretary General Eyüp Akbal, Kütahya Dumlupınar University Rector Prof. Dr. Kazım Uysal, Sancaktepe Mayor Şeyma Döğücü, and Bahçelievler Mayor Hakan Bahadır each made an opening speech.

Expressing Turkey's success in the defense industry, Deputy Minister of Treasury and Finance Nureddin Nebati said, "Turkey had almost no power in the defense industry when it met the AK Party government in 2002. The localization rate was around 20 percent. Today, we have become one of the few defense industry countries in the world in a short period of 17 years. The localization rate has reached almost 70 percent. And we have 4 companies among the top 100 companies in the world." "These four companies and Türkiye do not only produce domestically, but they also lead many countries through their collaborations with Muslim countries." he said.

Later, President of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş stated that Islamic countries are going through difficult times and said, "Today, our world, which is in huge social, cultural, political and economic crises, is going through one of the most difficult periods in its history. All ideologies and policies that claimed to bring prosperity, tranquility, peace and justice to humanity have lost their credibility. The efforts of global pilots to become social engineers have led the world to a total disaster. The Islamic Communities, Muslims, have been most affected by colonial policies in the last two centuries. The only possibility that can solve the crises, social, cultural, spiritual and political crises experienced by humanity is the universal truths that give life to Islam. "For this reason, it is very important for Muslims to cooperate in solving the problems of the geographies they live in in a realistic and convincing way."

In his speech, UNIW Deputy Secretary General Eyüp Akbal said, "I am very pleased to be with you at the Asrika Joint Defense Industrial Production Congress. We came here from different countries, but we are actually members of a single ummah. The Islamic world needs unity and solidarity today more than ever before in its history. If the three alifs were separate, they would have three values. But if the same three alifs were placed side by side, shoulder to shoulder on a line, they would have a strength and value of one hundred and eleven." he said.

The congress ended with the evaluation meeting held at the end of the second day.