Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) organised training on “Fiber Technology: Lint Quality” at the Malian Company for Textile Development (CMDT) in Koutiala, Mali, on 15-17 October 2012. The Course was provided by Mr. Idy Ka, an expert from Society for Development of Textile (SODEFITEX) in Senegal, and were attended by approximately 20 scientists dealing with cotton production in the Malian Company for Textile Development (CMDT).

The Task Force Meeting on Implementation of Accreditation Program for Statistical Professionals in OIC Member States (OSTAT) Programme was held on 12 October 2012 at the SESRIC Headquarters in Ankara, Turkey. The meeting was hosted by SESRIC and attended by Dr. Nabeel Mohammed Shams, Director General of the Statistics Department at the Central Informatics Organisation (CIO) of the Kingdom of Bahrain; Mr. Abu Camara, Statistician at the Data Resources and Statistics Department of the Islamic Development Bank; Mr. Hüseyin Hakan Eryetli, Director of Training and Technical Cooperation Department, SESRIC; Mrs. Münevver Nilgün Egemen, Senior Researcher at the Statistics and Information Department, SESRIC; Mr. Atilla Karaman, Researcher at the Statistics and Information Department, SESRIC; Mrs. Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk, Researcher at the Statistics and Information Department, SESRIC; and Mr. Syed Tahir Mahmud, Researcher at the Statistics and Information Department, SESRIC. The objective of the meeting was to gather the basic stakeholders including the CIO of Bahrain, IDB and SESRIC to discuss the roles and responsibilities of the relevant organisations and other vital issues to be considered during the operationalization of proposed programme.

Making a formal commitment to cooperation in science and technology innovation policies, Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) and the Kazakhstan National Agency for Technological Development JSC of Republic of Kazakhstan (NATD) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to reflect increased cooperation between the two organisations following the ‘Atlas of Islamic-World Science and Innovation Project’. Deputy Chairman of the NATD Board of Management, Mr. Anuarbek Sultangazin signed the MoU on behalf of NATD while Dr. Savaş Alpay, Director General of SESRIC, signed on behalf of SESRIC. The signing took place during the Kazakh-Turkish Business Forum, held October 12, 2012 in Istanbul, Turkey with the presence and support of H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey, and H.E. Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of Republic of Kazakhstan.

The 28th Session of the OIC Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC) convened in Istanbul on 8-11 October 2012 with the participation of delegates from 47 OIC member countries. Bosnia-Herzegovina, Central Republic of Africa, Russian Federation, Kingdom of Thailand and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus participated in the Session as observers. The OIC General Secretariat, subsidiary, specialized and affiliated organs of the OIC also participated in the Session. A number of international and regional organizations, including Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Developing Eight (D-8), International Trade Centre (ITC), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and Economic Cooperation Organization Trade and Development Bank (ECOBANK), attended the Session. The SESRIC was represented thereat by Dr. Savaş Alpay, Director General; Mr. Nabil Dabour, Director of Economic and Social Research Department; Dr. Kenan Bagci, Researcher and Dr. Umut Ünal, Researcher.

The First Technical Meeting on Development and Harmonization of Standards on Pharmaceuticals and Vaccines among OIC Member States was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 1 to 2 October 2012. The meeting was jointly hosted by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Malaysia and Ministry of Health, Malaysia in collaboration with the OIC General Secretariat. The meeting was attended by representatives of OIC Member States, OIC Institutions and International Organizations. SESRIC was represented at the meeting by Mazhar Hussain, Centre’s Researcher.

Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) organized the second phase of the training programme on “Hospital and Health Care Facilities Management and Administration”, in collaboration with Aegean International Health Federation, at Ministry of Health of Yemen on 28 September-02 October 2012. The training programme was provided by the members of Aegean International Health Federation namely Assist. Prof. Abdülkadir Civan, Gediz University (Turkey), Faculty of Medicine Assist. Prof. Ali Coşkun, Fatih University (Turkey), Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences and Dr. Ali Iravul, Deputy Director, Izmir Health Directorate. The course was designed for healthcare managers and hospital administrators. The course aims to improve participants’ professional knowledge in the field of health care management and operations, increase their efficiency and maximize the rational use of resources.

The First Meeting of the COMCEC Capital Markets Regulators Forum was held on 26-27 September 2012 in Istanbul, Turkey. The Meeting was hosted by the Capital Markets Board of Turkey (CMB). Heads and senior representatives of the regulatory authorities in COMCEC member countries, as well as the relevant OIC institutions, were in attendance. SESRIC was represented at the Forum by Mr. Nadi Serhan Aydin and Mr. Mustafa Sahin, Centre’s Researchers.

The Sixth Meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Member States' Stock Exchanges Forum was held on 26th September 2012 in Istanbul, Turkey. The Meeting was hosted by the Istanbul Stock Exchange (ISE). Senior representatives of the stock exchanges and central depositories, registry and clearing institutions operating in OIC member countries, as well as the relevant OIC institutions, were among the attendees of the Meeting. SESRIC was represented at the Meeting by Mr. Nadi Serhan Aydin and Mr. Mustafa Sahin, Centre’s Researchers.

Islamic Development Bank (IDB) organized an Expert Group Meeting (EGM) of Regional Organizations on Inter-regional Economic Cooperation on 25-26 September 2012 at its headquarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The EGM aimed at sharing experiences and best practices of existing regional cooperation schemes, identifying priority areas for enhanced cooperation across regions in trade and discussing ways and means for strengthening cooperation between OIC institutions and the regional economic groupings. In this context, cross-regional cooperation is seen an efficient means to leverage on the diversity and richness of endowments, capacities and experiences available in OIC regions.

The Regional Workshop on matching literacy programmes with income-generating activities of women, organised by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), in cooperation with the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) and the Cameroon National Commission for UNESCO, was held in Yaoundé, Cameroon on 24-26 September 2012. The workshop brought together 18 literacy officials from 9 African countries, namely Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Mali, Niger and Senegal.

The Third Istanbul Finance Summit (IFS) was held on 24-25 September 2012 in Istanbul, Turkey, under the theme “Finance in a Fragile World: Risks and Opportunities.” This year’s summit took pace with a loaded agenda on securities and finance industries and hosted some of the most important figures of the global financial world from North America, Europe, the Gulf Region and East Asia. SESRIC was represented at the Meeting by Mr. Nadi Serhan Aydin and Mr. Mustafa Sahin, Centre’s Researchers.

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) hosted the 3rd Global Islamic Finance Forum (GIFF) in Kuala Lumpur from 18th to 20th September 2012. Themed "Internationalisation of Islamic Finance: Bridging Economies" in recognition of the tremendous international prospect surrounding the thriving Islamic finance industry, GIFF 2012 congregated financial industry practitioners, regulators, shariah scholars and business communities from around the globe to discuss the prospects for Islamic finance industry in bridging economies and strengthening connectivity. The Forum was organised in collaboration with the Securities Commission Malaysia, Association of Islamic Banking Institutions Malaysia (AIBIM), Islamic Banking and Finance Institute Malaysia (IBFIM), Malaysian Takaful Association (MTA), International Shariah Research Academy for Islamic Finance (ISRA) and Bursa Malaysia. SESRIC was represented at the Forum by Dr. Savas Alpay, Director-General, and Mr. Nadi Serhan Aydin, Centre’s Researcher.

The Twentieth Session of the Committee for the Coordination of Statistical Activities (CCSA) was held in Frankfurt am Main on 17-19 September 2012. Being the co-chair of the Committee for the term 2012-2012, European Central Bank (ECB) hosted the Session where Mrs. Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk, researcher, represented the Centre thereat.

SESRIC and Aegean International Federation of Health (ESAFED) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 10 September 2012 at the new headquarters of SESRIC. The MoU promotes cooperation between two organisations in providing training courses on health related issues.

The new headquarters of the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) has been inaugurated on Saturday, 8 September 2012 in Ankara, Republic of Turkey, with the high-level participation of H.E. Ali Babacan, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey; H.E. Cevdet Yılmaz, Minister of Development of the Republic of Turkey; HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; H.E. Dr. Abdullah Motaouq Al-Matouq, Advisor in the Al-Diwan Al-Amiri of the State of Kuwait, ambassadors of OIC Member Countries and other representatives of international organisations.

Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) organised training on “Plant Protection: Diseases and Insects” at the Agricultural Research Corporation (ARC) of Sudan, on 27-29 August 2012. The Course provided by Prof. Isa Onu, an expert from the Institute for Agriculture Research, Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Nigeria, and attended by 26 scientists and agricultural protectionists dealing with cotton production at the Agricultural Research Corporation (ARC) of Sudan.

Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) organized a training programme on “Risk Management in Islamic Financial Instruments” at the National Bank of Republic of Tajikistan on 11-12 July 2012 within the framework of OIC Central Banks Capacity Building Programme. The Course has been provided by Dr. Rifki Ismal, Researcher at Directorate of Islamic Banking from the Bank Indonesia, and was attended by relevant members of the National Bank of Republic of Tajikistan.

SESRIC organized a study visit on "Vocational Education Experiences of Turkey" in collaboration with the Ministry of National Education and Ministry of Labour and Social Security of the Republic of Turkey on 26-27 June 2012, in Ankara, Turkey with the participation of representatives from the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training of the Kingdom of Morocco.

Dr. Kelly J. Henning Director, International Health Programs Bloomberg Foundation New York, Dr. Toker Ergüder, National Tobacco Control Programme Officer, World Health Organization (WHO) visited Dr. Savas Alpay, Director General of SESRIC, in his office on 26 June 2012.

Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) organized a training programme on “Islamic Financial Instruments” at the Central Bank of Turkey on 26-28 June 2012 within the framework of OIC Central Banks Capacity Building Programme. The Course was provided by Dr. Eko Adi Irianto, Manager in Department of Islamic Banking and Mr. Agung Bayu Purwoko, Manager in Department of Monetary Operation from the Bank Indonesia, and was attended by relevant members of the Central Bank of Turkey.