President Koroma, Zainab Bangura visit Turkey

Sierra Leone’s President, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma and his Foreign and International Relations Minister, Hon. Zainab Hawa Bangura are currently in Istanbul, Turkey to attend the 25^th Session of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (COMCEC).

According to a news release issued by the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) General Secretariat in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and this year’s Session coincides with the 25^th anniversary of the establishment of the subsidiary organ of the OIC. The Government of Turkey, whose President chairs the Committee, all Member States of the OIC and the General Secretariat of the OIC and its concerned institutions will commemorate the 25^th Anniversary of the creation of COMCEC by holding an Economic Summit to which Heads of States and Government of OIC Member-States have been invited.

According to the release, the session of COMCEC was convened on 7^th November 2009, at the level of Ministers responsible for economic matters in OIC Member-States, but preceded in the usual manner by a meeting of senior officials on 5-6 November 2009.

Business people from the Member States, the release adds, will participate at the Forum to discuss matters relating to promotion of business among them, and lending support to the current pre-occupation of OIC in the domain of encouraging Private Sector-led economic growth in OIC countries.

“The 25^th COMCEC Session will review the implementation of the Ten Year Programme of Action (TYPOA) in the economic sphere. It would also examine the important achievements realized in the prosecution of the economic agenda of the OIC, which are vital for further strengthening the economic and commercial cooperation among the Member States,” the release states, and continues,  “according to the Draft Agenda, the Session will consider such matters as the Impact of fluctuating commodity prices on the economies of the Member States; Crisis on world financial markets and developments on the global energy markets and their implication on the OIC Member Countries.”

The COMCEC Session will also review the trade and investment related issues, such as financial cooperation among the OIC Member Countries and enhancing intra OIC investment flows, cooperation among Stock Exchanges of the Member States, development of the OIC Halal Food Standards and Procedures. The Session will also discuss poverty alleviation issues and economic/technical assistance to the OIC Member Countries.

Sierra Leone became a member of the OIC in 1972 under the Presidency of Dr. Siaka P. Stevens and also joined the subsidiary organizations such as the Islamic Development Bank, Fiqh Academy and Islamic University of Technology.

The OIC is the second largest inter-governmental organization after the United Nations with a membership of 59 States spreading over four continents – Africa, Arab, Asia and Europe.

By Alhaji M.B. Jalloh, Information Attaché, Sierra Leone Embassy, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

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