Astana proposes new initiatives in Jeddah for OIC's better tomorrow

In three days, the ICECS considered 24 draft resolutions relating to various aspects of the OIC's work in socio-economic and cultural fields. Approved resolutions will then be submitted to the 39^th session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Djibouti for their final adoption, the Kazakh MFA's press service said.

Addressing the Commission at the opening ceremony, Deputy Foreign Minister Kairat Sarybay spoke about Kazakhstan's current chairmanship in the OIC and its achievements. In particular, he marked the major international events held in Astana under the auspices of the Organisation such as the third Health Ministers Conference (September-October, 2011) and the 5th Conference of Environment Ministers (May, 2012).

Kairat Sarybay also highlighted Kazakhstan's contribution to the adoption of the OIC Water Vision in March this year, as well as the country's significant role in providing OIC humanitarian assistance to Libya and Somalia and in implementing the OIC Action Plan for Cooperation with Central Asia.

During the meeting in Jeddah, Kazakhstan proposed a number of important initiatives, including the idea of establishing an OIC Food Security Fund for Central Asia, Afghanistan and Iran, with headquarters in Astana.

The Commission approved a package of solutions aimed at the implementation of President Nursultan Nazarbayev's initiatives within the OIC, including the establishment of a dialogue platform for 10 leading economies of the Muslim world, a special Islamic Development Bank fund to support small and medium-sized businesses, and others.

At the Session, Kazakhstan also transferred its chairmanship in the ICECS to Djibouti, elected Chairman of the 39^th session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers. The full transfer of chairmanship will be held during the session in Djibouti on November 15-17.

As part of the 35^th session, Kazakhstan's delegation held meetings with OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu and President of the Islamic Development Bank Ahmed Mohammed Ali.

The Islamic Commission for Economic, Cultural and Social Affairs is a major preparatory event for the session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, which considers resolutions in socio-economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres.

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation is an authoritative inter-governmental organisation. As the largest organisation after the United Nations by the number of participants, geographic coverage and network of specialised structures, it is now comprised of 57 states with a total population of about 1.5 billion people.

In 1995, Kazakhstan became a full-fledged member of the OIC. Over seventeen years of participation in the work of the Organisation, Astana has reached a high level of interaction with the OIC and its institutions.