29th Meeting of the Follow-up Committee of COMCEC
Date: 14-15 May 2013
Venue: Ankara - Türkiye

The 29th Meeting of the Follow-up Committee of the COMCEC was held on 14-15 May 2013 in Ankara, Turkey, with the participation of the member countries of the Committee (Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Palestine, Egypt, Kuwait, Iran, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Qatar, Mali and Cameroon). Representatives of Iraq also attended the meeting as observers. The OIC General Secretariat and the following subsidiary, affiliated and specialised organs (SESRIC, ICDT, IDB, ICCIA, IUT, OISA and SMIIC) attended the Meeting.

The Committee reviewed and discussed the progress achieved in the implementation of the resolutions and decisions of the 28th Session of the COMCEC, which was held in October 2012 in Istanbul. The discussion included a set of common issues of concern to the member countries with a view to enhancing economic and commercial cooperation among them. These issues were discussed under the following main Agenda Items:

  • The COMCEC Strategy and its implementation;
  • Review of the implementation of the OIC Ten-Year Programme of Action;
  • Expansion of Intra-OIC trade;
  • Cooperation in the priority areas of transport and communication, agriculture and food security, and tourism;
  • Poverty alleviation and OIC-VET Programme;
  • Financial cooperation (Central Banks, Stock Exchanges and Capital Markets);
  • Private sector cooperation;
  • Preparations for the exchange of views on “Increasing FDI Flows to the OIC Countries”.

During the working sessions of the Meeting, SESRIC made some presentations and briefed the Committee on the latest developments on the following issues: OIC-VET Programme, cooperation among the Central Banks and Monetary Authorities of the OIC member countries, and the preparations for the exchange of views on “Increasing FDI Flows to the OIC Countries”. In this connection, the Committee took notes, welcomed and appreciated the efforts made by the SESRIC towards the implementation of the various agenda items which fall within the framework of the Centre’s mandates.

The Committee also took note of the following proposals as possible themes for the exchange of views sessions to be held during the 28th Session of the COMCEC:

Theme 1: The Role of PPP (Public-Private Partnership) in Tourism Sector Development in the OIC Member States
Theme 2: Promoting Islamic Financial Services in the OIC Countries
Theme 3: Facilitating Access to Trade Finances in the OIC Member States
Theme 4: Managing the Informal Economy in the OIC Member States
Theme 5: Enhancing Aid Efficiency and Developing Effective Aid Strategies and Policies.

In this context, the Committee requested the SESRIC to circulate a questionnaire to the Member States to explore their views on the above-mentioned themes and report to the 29th Session of the COMCEC, which will be held in Istanbul in November 2013. The Committee also prepared the Draft Agenda of the 29th Session of the COMCEC.