The Director General of the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRTCIC) Dr. Savaş Alpay met with the UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ECA Mr. Abdoulie Janneh at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) on 1st May 2007 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

During the meeting, the Director General of SESRTCIC and the Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ECA held talks on bilateral relations and discussed SESRTCIC’s activities towards the region. Dr. Alpay informed the Executive Secretary about the future activities of SESRTCIC and expressed the willingness of the SESRTCIC to expand the existing cooperation and collaboration with ECA through joint programmes and technical cooperation activities with a view to achieving the UN MDGs related to Africa.

Dr. Alpay presented a study prepared by SESRTCIC to the Executive Secretary titled “Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Situation in the OIC Member Countries”. Mr. Abdoulie Janneh, welcomed the activities of SESRTCIC and expressed the willingness of ECA to develop cooperation and partnership with SESRTCIC in the areas of a common interest. On these guidelines, he also expressed his desire to facilitate the achievement of the MDGs and possibility of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SESRTCIC on cooperation and suggested to set up a coordination group to work on the preparation of a MoU to that end for such a purpose.

The Director General expressed his deep appreciation to the Executive Secretary for the warm hospitality accorded to the SESRTCIC delegation by ECA.