The 4th Coordination Meeting of the OIC subsidiary organs, specialized and affiliated institutions on the implementation of the OIC Ten-Year Programme of Action (TYPOA) was held in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on April 7, 2009. The Meeting was attended by the OIC General Secretariat, specialized and affiliated institutions. The OIC Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC), OIC Committee for Information and Cultural Affairs (COMIAC), OIC Standing Committee for Science and Technology (COMSTECH), Uganda and Syria also attended the Meeting. The Meeting considered as its agenda item the documents related to the implementation of the OIC-Ten Year Programme of Action, and preparations for the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the OIC.

In his opening statement, His Excellency the Secretary General, Prof. Dr. Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, underlined the importance of the TYPOA and called for increased action and coordination among OIC institutions to work more actively and coordinate their efforts with a view to ensure effective and timely implementation of the programme. His Excellency also pointed the importance of the meeting with OIC institutions on the implementation of the provisions of the Ten-Year Programme of Action as it provides with an opportunity to take stock of the progress made in all areas of concern to these institutions, which helps coordinate and evaluate the outcomes.

During their meeting in March 2006, March 2007 and May 2008, the OIC subsidiary organs, specialized and affiliated institutions reviewed the provisions of the TYPOA and suggested the course of action to be adopted by the individual institutions in their respective areas for implementing the TYPOA. The first working group underlined the need to implement the decision of the OIC Summit, namely to contribute 0.02% of each Member States’ GNP to an established Fund for the promotion of Science and Technology and to encourage Member States to accept the IDB proposal that 10% of assistance to Member States be earmarked for science and technology. Also, on other substantive issues, the vital importance of the issues and projects in the field of Social and Cultural Affairs under the TYPOA was underscored.

The second working group reiterated that increasing intra-OIC trade will be a challenge due to the current World Financial Crisis. In this regard, it proposed that Member States expedite the signing and ratifying of the OIC agreements in particular the PRETAS; increase the involvement of the private sector; give more priority to infrastructure development and establish an Arbitration Mechanism to facilitate trade. Furthermore, the participants were also briefed about the recent endeavours of SESRIC in bringing together the Development and Cooperation Institutions (DCIs) of the OIC Member States in order to generate a concerted action in the fight against poverty in the OIC Member States. Also the Meeting was informed about studies prepared by SESRIC on “Education: Prospects and Challenges in the OIC Member Countries” and “Health Systems and Expenditure in the OIC Member Countries” and also the “Vocational Education and Training Programme of the OIC Countries (OIC-VET), and the most recent Ibn Sina Programme for OIC Health Capacity Building. In particular, it was emphasized that Ibn Sina Programme for OIC Health Capacity Building be launched as soon as possible by SESRIC and IDB, and supported by the Member States.

The Meeting turned out to be a success. OIC institutions have taken a good stock of the good evaluation of progress so far made in the process of implementation of the TYPOA. The participants exchanged views and adopted recommendations to ensure better coordination in the implementation of the Programme. The OIC institutions were called upon to report regularly to the General Secretariat on actions and initiatives taken for the implementation of the Programme.