11th Meeting of the COMCEC Agriculture Working Group

The 11th Meeting of the COMCEC Agriculture Working Group was held on February 22nd, 2018 in Ankara, Turkey with the theme of “Improving Agricultural Market Performance: Developing Agricultural Market Information Systems”.

The Meeting was attended by the representatives of 14 Member States which have notified their focal points for the Agriculture Working Group. Representatives of COMCEC Coordination Office, Islamic Development Bank, SESRIC, Denizbank and Eastern African Grain Council (EAGC) have also attended the Meeting.

The Representatives of the Member States have shared their experiences, achievements and challenges in improving market performance through developing agricultural market information systems in their respective countries. The Meeting has considered the Studies “Improving Agricultural Market Performance: Developing Agricultural Market Information Systems” commissioned by the COMCEC Coordination Office and the “COMCEC Agriculture Outlook 2017” prepared by the COMCEC Coordination Office.

For further information on the Meeting, follow the links below:

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11th Meeting of the COMCEC Tourism Working Group

The 11th Meeting of the COMCEC Tourism Working Group was held on February 15th, 2018 in Ankara, Turkey with the theme of “Destination Development and Institutionalization Strategies in the OIC Member Countries”.

The Meeting was attended by the representatives of 7 Member States, which have notified their focal points for the Tourism Working Group namely, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Gambia, Guinea, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Representatives of COMCEC Coordination Office, UNWTO, SESRIC, DinarStandart and Kayseri Erciyes Corp. have also attended the Meeting.

The Representatives of the Member States have shared their experiences, achievements and challenges regarding risk and crisis management in tourism sector in their respective countries. The Meeting has considered the Studies “Destination Development and Institutionalization Strategies in the OIC Member Countries” commissioned by the COMCEC Coordination Office and the “COMCEC Tourism Outlook 2017” prepared by the COMCEC Coordination Office.

For further information regarding the Meeting, follow the links below:

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The Final-List for the 5th Project Call of the COMCEC Project Funding has been announced

The COMCEC Coordination Office has completed the project evaluations submitted under the 5th Project Call of the COMCEC Project Funding and announced the final-list of the successful projects to receive funding in 2018 period.

In order to begin the project activities, the next phase is the signing of the Contract between the Development Bank of Turkey and project owners. The details about the signing of the Contract will be shared with the project owners soon.

Please click here for the Final-List.

For further information, you can contact COMCEC Coordination Office through cpf@comcec.org

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The Jerusalem resolution submitted to the UN General Assembly by Turkey and Yemen was adopted overwhelmingly

During the 10th Emergency Special Session of the UN General Assembly the resolution, submitted by Turkey, the Term President of the Summit of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Yemen, the Term President of the Arab Group against the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, was adopted by 128 Member Countries.

Despite repression and threats of US government, 128 Member Countries taking up a position for international law norms condemned Donald Trump’s decision taken on December 6 and considered it to be null and void. While 128 countries voted in favour of a resolution rejecting this decision, nine countries including Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Togo and United States voted against it and 35 nations abstained.

Following the UN resolution on Jerusalem, H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Term President of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and also the Chairman of the COMCEC stressed his expectation from US government to turn away from its decision and review it.

Please click here for the voting results of the 10th Emergency Special Session

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East Jerusalem has been declared as the capital of the State of Palestine in the Extraordinary Islamic Summit which has been convened with the special agenda on Al-Quds

After the decision by the President of the USA recognizing Al-Quds as the so-called capital of Israel, upon the invitation of the President of the Republic of Turkey HE Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Chair of the Islamic Summit, Extraordinary Session of the OIC Islamic Summit Conference has been organized in Istanbul on December 13th 2017. In the Conference, which was attended by the Presidents, prime ministers and relevant ministers from of the OIC countries, decision by the President of the USA was strongly rejected and condemned.

In the Final Communique adopted by the Conference, the decision was considered as an attack on the historical, legal, natural and national rights of the Palestinian people and it is stressed that the decision will seriously undermine the peace efforts in the region. Moreover, East Jerusalem has been declared as the capital of the State of Palestine and all countries have been invited to recognize the State of Palestine and East Jerusalem as its occupied capital.

In addition to political issues, the Communique emphasized several economic measures. The Member States and relevant OIC bodies are called upon to support Palestinian economy by providing all forms of economic, social, technical and material support. The Conference also requested Islamic Development Bank to support economic and social development endeavors in Quds Al-Sharif and other occupied territories through “Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development” by prioritizing Palestine’s projects and formulating special and flexible mechanisms and procedures for them.

Please click here for the Final Communique of the Conference.

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WE DISMISS THE US ADMINISTRATION’S DECISION ON AL-QUDS AL-SHARIF AND CONSIDER IT TO BE NULL AND VOID

As the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, we not only dismiss the US administration’s unilateral decision, which violates the international law by recognizing Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the capital of the State of Israel and which plans to move the Tel Aviv based US Embassy to Al-Quds Al-Sharif, and consider this inexplicable and imprudent decision to be null and void.

Al-Quds Al-Sharif, home of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is the first Qibla of Muslims, and the cradle of various religions and civilizations for many years, “cannot be left in the hands of an occupying state, which since 1967 has been using terror in an attempt to usurp the land of the Palestinians, with no regard for the law and morality. For all Muslims, Al-Quds Al-Sharif is the apple of our eye. While one part of our heart is in Mecca and Medina, a part of our heart is also in Al-Quds Al-Sharif,” as stated by H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Term President of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and also the Chairman of COMCEC.

Such a decision, which is disconnected from the historical, social and political realities of the region and will feed every kind of violence and chaos, and deepen Israel’s occupation, will abolish the rights of all non-Jewish parties living in Al-Quds Al-Sharif, terminate the negotiation environment, and eliminate the possibility of a peaceful solution. Based on this premise, we call upon the entire Islamic Ummah and all other countries and communities embodying moral values and insight, to consider this decision null and void.

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The COMCEC 33rd Ministerial Session was held at the İstanbul Congress Center between November 20th-23rd, 2017

The COMCEC 33rd Ministerial Meeting was held at the Istanbul Congress Center between November 20th-23rd, 2017. The meeting was attended by the representatives of 50 Member States and 18 international organizations.

This year, Ministerial Exchange of Views Session was held with the theme of “Improving Transnational Transport Corridors in the OIC Member Countries”. In addition to the regular agenda items of the COMCEC, the delegations from the Member States shared their experiences, challenges and achievements in transnational transport corridors issue in their respective countries. At the end of the meeting, Ministers adopted the resolutions and a Ministerial Declaration on “Improving Transnational Transport Corridors in the OIC Member Countries”.

Furthermore, 4 special sessions and 1 forum were held on the sidelines of the Ministerial Session and various aspects of transnational transport corridors were discussed during these high-level events.

Click for the details.

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A training program was conducted within the framework of the project titled “Reduction of Post-Harvest Losses in Cereals for Improving Rural Livelihood (2016-GMBAGRIC-253)”

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Training program on enhancing the capacity of craft producers was conducted within the framework of the “Enhancing The Capacity of Craft Producers & Customers Service In OIC Member Countries” project (2016-SDNTOURI-251)

Training program on enhancing the capacity of craft producers was conducted within the framework of the “Enhancing The Capacity of Craft Producers & Customers Service In OIC Member Countries” project (2016-SDNTOURI-251).

Within the framework of the project titled “Enhancing The Capacity of Craft Producers & Customers Service In OIC Member Countries” implemented by the Ministry of Tourism, Antiquities and Wildlife of Sudan, the training program regarding enhancing the capacity of craft producers was held on 13-26 August 2017 in Khartoum City.

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Workshop on “Facilitating Trade: Identifying NTBs among the OIC Member States” was conducted between 24-25 October 2017 in Rabat, Morocco within the framework of the project numbered 2016-ICDT-247

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