The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) organized and hosted seminars on "Microcredit Repayment Performance in A Metropolitan Area" and "Dynamic Analysis of Default in Joint Liability Group Lending" in its headquarters in Ankara on December 27, 2011. The seminars have been delivered by Dr. Selay Sahan.

The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) organized and hosted a seminar on “The Impact of Deposit Dollarization on Financial Deepening" in its headquarters in Ankara on December 26, 2011. The seminar has been delivered by Dr. Emre Ozsoz.

The Centre organised a training course on “Basic Data Analysis for Price and Foreign Trade Data” at the Central Department of Statistics and Information (CDSI), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on 24-26 December 2011. The course was provided by an expert at the SESRIC.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey held a seminar on December 21, 2011, on World Energy Outlook (WEO) 2012, presented by Dr. Fatih Birol, Chief Economist and Head of the Economic Analysis Division of the Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA) and Director of the World Energy Outlook series, a flagship publication of the International Energy Agency. All Embassies in Ankara, the Office of the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations and the Representation of the European Commission to Turkey were invited to this seminar. Dr. Jian Mardukhi attended this meeting on behalf of the SESRIC.

At the closing ceremony of the 8th International Conference on Islamic Economics and Finance, which was held in Doha, Qatar on 19-21 December 2011, the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) has been elected to host the 9th edition of this prestigious research conference in the field of Islamic Economics and Finance.

The global economy continues to face the perennial problems of poverty, persistent youth unemployment, excessive inequalities of income and wealth, high levels of inflation, large macroeconomic and budgetary imbalances, exorbitant debt-servicing burdens, inadequate and aging public utilities and infrastructure, skyrocketing energy prices, and growing food insecurity. The reoccurring regional and global financial crises further intensify and magnify these problems particularly for the underprivileged segments of the world population. As a result, many countries are at the risk of failing to achieve the Millennium Development Goals set by the United Nations. However, some countries also present optimistic experiences to share, and from which useful lessons can be drawn for shaping the future economic scene in other countries.

SESRIC organized a workshop on ‘Innovative Social Assistance Strategies in Poverty Alleviation’ in collaboration with the Islamic Research and Training Institute (IRTI) of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and the Ministry of Family and Social Policy of the Republic of Turkey on 12-14 December 2011 in Ankara, Turkey. The workshop was attended by delegations of OIC Member Countries, namely Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Comoros, Egypt, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Iraq, Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Senegal, Sudan, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey and Yemen. Besides, Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (COMCEC), Saudi Fund for Development, UNDP-Turkey, The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), The Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA), The Foundations for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief (IHH) and Ankara Development Agency (ANKARAKA) participated in the Workshop as observers.

The 2nd Global Entrepreneurship Summit took place at Istanbul Harbiye Convention Center during December 3-6 under the theme of "Entrepreneurship, Values and Development: A Global Agenda". The Summit was hosted by H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey, and it is the follow-up of the "Entrepreneurship Summit" hosted by U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington on April 26-27, 2010. The summit brought together more than 1,000 successful entrepreneurs from Turkey and throughout the world. SESRIC was represented thereat by Mr. Nadi Serhan Aydin, researcher at the Centre.

The international workshop on “Competency Based Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) for the OIC Member States" is going to be organized by the department of Instructor Training and General Studies (ITS), Islamic University of Technology (IUT) on 27-30 November 2011 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) organized training on “Water Resources Management” at the Higher Council for Environment and Natural Resources of the Republic of Sudan, on 23-24 November 2011. The Course was provided by Mr. Burhan Fuat Çankaya, an expert from the Directorate of Water Management of Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, and was attended by staff members of the Higher Council for Environment and Natural Resources of the Republic of Sudan.

The Centre organised a training course on “Agriculture Statistics” at the Department of Statistics Malaysia on 21-22 November 2011. The course was provided by Mr. Bahrawar Jan, expert at the Federal Bureau of Statistics, Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

Thomson Reuters and Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI), in association with a consortium of Islamic banks, financial industry associations, including Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and SESRIC, and a group of Shariah scholars, launched the industry's first international Islamic interbank rate, the Islamic Interbank Benchmark Rate (IIBR), offering a sharia-compliant alternative to traditional interest-based benchmarks. IIBR was announced officially on 22nd November 2011 during a special session at the 18th World Islamic Banking Conference, which was held on 21-23 November 2011 in Kingdom of Bahrain. Mr. Khalid Hamad Abdul Rahman, Executive Director for Banking Supervision at the Central Bank of Bahrain, inaugurated the new benchmark. The Centre was represented at the launch session by Dr. Savaş Alpay, Director General of SESRIC and Member of the IIBR Islamic Benchmark Committee, and Mr. Nadi Serhan Aydin, Researcher.

The 18th Annual World Islamic Banking Conference (WIBC 2011) was held on 21-23 November 2011 in Kingdom of Bahrain under the patronage of HRH Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and with the official support of the Central Bank of Bahrain. More than 1300 industry leaders from over 50 countries gathered in full force at the 18th WIBC to discuss the future of the Islamic banking industry. The conference aimed to give the international Islamic finance industry a collaborative platform to highlight the key issues the industry is facing across the globe. The Centre was represented at the event by Dr. Savas Alpay, Director General, and Mr. Nadi Serhan Aydin, Researcher.

During his visit to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to participate in the Meeting of the Central Banks and Monetary Authorities of the OIC Member Countries, Dr. Savas Alpay, Director General of SESRIC, visited the Department of Statistics of Malaysia on 17 November 2011. Dr. Alpay has been received by H.E. Dr. Haji Abdul Rahman Bin Hasan, the Chief Statistician of Malaysia, at his office.

The Centre organised a training on “Breeding and Biotechnology: Hybridization” at the Cotton Development Board of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh on 15-17 November 2011 within the framework of OIC Cotton Training Programme. The Course was provided by Dr. Şaire Ramiz Türkoğlu, an expert from the Cukurova Agricultural Research Institute of the Republic of Turkey, and was attended by 13 staff members of the Cotton Development Board of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.

The Centre organised a training on “Plant Protection: Insects” at the premises of Senegal Ministry of Agriculture in Kolda, 700 km from Dakar, on 22-24 November 2011 in collaboration with Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA) within the framework of OIC Cotton Training Programme.

The Regional Forum on Agro-Industries for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has been held in Beirut, Lebanon during the period 15-18 November 2011. The Forum is organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – Regional Office for the Near East (FAO), in collaboration with UNIDO and other partner organizations.

During his visit to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to participate in the Meeting of the Central Banks and Monetary Authorities of the OIC Member Countries, Dr. Savas Alpay, Director General of SESRIC, delivered a seminar on “Challenges and Prospects for the Socio-economic Development in the Islamic World” at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) on 14th November 2011. The seminar held at Kulliyah of Economics and Management Sciences of IIUM and attended by more than a hundred of both undergraduate and postgraduate students from different faculties in the university as well as professors and other staff members in the Kulliyah of Economics and Management Sciences of IIUM.

The Meeting of the Central Banks and Monetary Authorities of the OIC Member Countries- 2011 has been organized by SESRIC, in collaboration with the Central Bank of Malaysia (Bank Negara Malaysia) and held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 16th November 2011 under the theme “Central Banking and Financial Sector Development”.

The Centre organised a training course on “Quarterly National Accounts” at Agency of Statistics of the Republic of Kazakhstan on 31 October-2 November 2011. The course was provided by Mr. Buyung Airlangga, an expert at the Badan Pusat Statistik (BPS), Republic of Indonesia.