Conference of the Ministers Responsible for Water from the OIC Member Countries
Date: 20 March 2009
Venue: Istanbul - Türkiye

Istanbul, TurkeyThe Conference of the Ministers Responsible for Water from the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Member States was held as a side event of the 5th World Water Forum on March 20, 2009. The meeting was inaugurated by the OIC Secretary General, Prof. Dr. Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu and chaired by Prof. Dr. Veysel Eroğlu, Minister of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Turkey. Among the OIC institutions SESRIC, COMSTECH and IDB were represented at the Conference. Moreover, several other international organizations participated in the Conference as well. Dr. Savaş Alpay, Director General, represented SESRIC during the Conference.

In the opening session, Prof. Dr. İhsanoğlu expressed , firstly, his appreciation for the great efforts exerted by the Turkish Government toward the organization of the 5th World Water Forum. He, then, outlined the current status of water resources and the challenges the OIC Member States are facing due to overexploitation of water, increase of demand and impacts of climate change on water resource depletion. He also called for sustainable utilization of water resources and proposed OIC Water Vision 2025. As the second speaker of the opening session, Prof Dr. Eroğlu welcomed the Ministers responsible for water from OIC Member States. He stressed the importance of water for development and the necessity of sustainable use of the renewable water resources.

During the working session, Concept Paper on preparation of OIC Water Vision 2025 had been presented and the ministers had been asked for their views on the proposal. The comments highlighted the necessity of collaboration among OIC Member States in political, technical and financial terms and emphasized the need to have a clear roadmap of transboundary water management.

In the closing session, the general view of the vision had been approved. An experts meeting had been suggested before the next Conference of the Ministers Responsible for Water.