In the context of the follow-up of the implementation of the “Executive Programme of the Road-Map for Achieving Intra-OIC Trade Targets” adopted by the previous 4th meeting of this Group, the Islamic Centre for Development of Trade (ICDT) and the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), member of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Group organised, under the auspices of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and New Technologies of the Kingdom of Morocco, the 5th Meeting of the OIC Consultative Group on Enhancing Intra-OIC Trade in Casablanca on 27-28 February 2013.

The Meeting aims at reviewing and evaluating the progress on the implementation of the “Executive Programme of the Road-Map for Achieving Intra-OIC Trade Targets” since the previous 4th Meeting in February last year. The 5th Meeting focused on the role of the Member States in expanding intra-OIC Trade and implementing new COMCEC’s Strategy in cooperation with the OIC Member States. The Meeting aims also at exploring the cooperation opportunities with international and regional organizations within the framework of the Executive Programme and the new COMCEC’s Strategy.

The Meeting was attended by representatives of the following OIC institutions: the General Secretariat of the OIC, the COMCEC Coordination Office, the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Group Cooperation and Integration Department (CID), the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), the Islamic Corporation for Insurance of Investments and Export Credit (ICIEC), the Islamic centre for Development of Trade (ICDT), the Organisation of Islamic Ship-owners Association (OISA) and the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Agriculture (ICCIA). The Meeting was also attended by the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), the League of Arab States (LAS), the West African Economy and Monetary Union (WAEMU), UNDP, and UNESCWA. Representatives of 10 OIC Member States (Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Malaysia, Kuwait, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Benin, Mali, and Yemen) also attended the Meeting.

After reviewing and evaluating the progress in the implementation of “Executive Programme of the Road-Map for Achieving Intra-OIC Trade Targets”, the participants discussed and elaborated on various ways and means of enhancing the implementation of the Road-Map with a view to achieving the target of 20% intra-OIC trade by 2015 and the possibility of identifying new targets for the period 2015-2025. They also elaborated on the possible effective roles of the Member States in accelerating the process of implementation of the Programme and in attending the meetings of the Consultative Group together with the institutions.

The representative of SESRIC, Mr. Nabil Dabour, Director of Research Department, presented the various activities implemented by SESRIC since February 2012 under each of the 6 areas identified in the Executive Programme for the implementation of the Road-Map for enhancing intra-OIC trade. According to the current status of the implementation of the Executive Programme (i.e. by February 2013), and with a total of 52 activities, SESRIC is ranked the 3rd among the 10 institutions involving in the implementation of the Programme (after ITFC and ICDT).

The Participants adopted the Report of the Meeting, which includes a long list of recommendations under three headings: OIC Member States, OIC and International Institutions, and Private Sector. The Report of the Meeting together with the Executive Programme of the Implementation of the Road-Map will be submitted to the forthcoming relevant OIC fora for endorsement by the Member States, notably to the 36th Session of the Islamic Commission for Economic, Culture and social Affairs, which will be held in June 2013 and to the 29th Session of the COMCEC, which will be held in November 2013.