7th ECO SG OIC- MESSAGE BY THE OIC SG

7^th Consultative Meeting for Economic and Trade Cooperation

between the OIC Affiliated Organs

MESSAGE BY H.E. THE OIC SECRETARY GENERAL

AT THE OPENING OF THE CONSULTATIVE MEETING OF THE

OIC INSTITUTIONS ACTIVE IN THE ECONOMIC AND COMMERCIAL FIELDS

At the outset, I would like to convey my deep appreciation to H.E. Dr. Ahmad Mohammed Ali, the President of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), and to all his assistants and staff for the good preparation for this Consultative Meeting of OIC Institutions Active in Economic and Commercial Fields, which I have always considered very useful and important.

I have no doubt that we will be focused in our discussion on making this consultative meeting a success. In this respect, I think the selection of items on the agenda has been quite appropriate. The implementation of the OIC Plan of Action to Strengthen Economic and Commercial Cooperation is particularly important in view of the urgency of its implementation. As we are all aware, the 18^th COMCEC Session held in October last year endorsed the supplementary mechanism under which the concerned OIC institutions are expected to play an enhanced role in implementing the relevant Plan of Action. I hope the matter will be fully discussed so that we may consider ways and means of fulfilling our mandate in this regard.

The recent entry into force of the Framework Agreement on Trade Preferential System among the OIC Member States following its ratification by more than eleven Member States as required under the Agreement has been a milestone in our efforts to expand intra-OIC trade. Therefore, the last session of COMCEC adopted the Ministerial Declaration launching the first round of trade negotiations provided for in the Framework Agreement. I am appreciative of the efforts of ICDT in organizing an experts group meeting under the auspices of COMCEC on 24-26 June 2003 in Casablanca to prepare the groundwork for the first round. Now that we have been advised by the Turkish authorities that the first round will be held in Antalya in April this year, we need to carry on consultation here in order to proceed in a coordinated manner. In this connection, I would like to reiterate the great importance I attach to the initiation of trade negotiation, which I hope will have positive impacts on all OIC Member States.

We have had a successful Islamic Summit Conference in Putrajaya, Malaysia last October. We have worked together to devise ways and means to implement the decisions taken. In this connection I would like to refer to the useful Business Forum held on the sidelines of the Summit discussing possibilities of involving the private sector in economic cooperation among the Member States. This is a commemdable initiative which would increase private investments in the economic field, which puts on our shoulders the responsibility of creating a propitious environment that should enable the private sector to overcome all the obstacles and to play its role in a complete manner. I hope this consultative meeting will find some time to dwell on this important matter.

Before I conclude, I avail myself of this opportunity to highlight the importance of this meeting. Such meetings held at the level of heads of institutions affords an opportunity to hold consultations that provide impetus to the role and function of the individual institution. In this connection, let me reiterate what I said at the Consultative Meeting held here last year. The purpose of having such meeting is to seek essentially to avoid futile duplication and overlap. At the same time it enables individual institutions to be more focused in their respective areas of work. I am happy to note the regular holding of such meetings that play an extremely important role.