Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) organised a training programme on “Islamic Debt and Equity Markets” at the Islamabad Stock Exchange on 10-11 February 2014, within the framework of OIC Capacity Building Programme for Stock Exchanges (OIC-SEP). The Course was provided Mr. Majid Pireh, Islamic Finance Lecturer, Tehran Stock Exchange of Iran, with participation of relevant members of the Islamabad Stock Exchange of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

SESRIC has participated in Global Health and Ageing Conference, which was organised by the World Ageing Council (DUNYAK) in Istanbul on 1 February 2014. The Conference hosted representatives of civil society organisations as well as international and regional institutions, including SESRIC and D-8, in order to discuss major challenges and obstacles about global health and ageing, and declared Global Health and Ageing Decade (2014-2023) and Global Alliance on Health and Ageing (GAHA).

The 8th Meeting of the OIC Steering Committee on Health will be held in February 2014. The meeting will, inter alia, discuss the implementation of the decisions and resolutions adopted by the Islamic Conferences of Health Ministers and finalize a road map for the implementation of OIC Strategic Health Programme of Action 2014 – 2023.

H.E. Dr. Cevdet Yılmaz, Minister of Development of the Republic of Turkey, paid a courtesy visit to SESRIC on 24th January 2014. H.E. the Minister was accompanied by Mr. Ahmet Yaman, Deputy Undersecretary of the Ministry of Development, and Mr. Metin Eker, Director General of the COMCEC Coordination Office. H.E. the Minister was welcomed by the Director General of the Centre, Prof. Savaş Alpay, where he expressed his gratitude to the Minister for designating his valuable time for this honourable visit to SESRIC. Following the welcoming, H.E. the Minister was briefed by the heads of the technical departments at the Centre on the activities of their respective departments. The presentations on the activities of the Centre were made by Mr. Hüseyin Hakan Eryetli, Director of Statistics and Information Department, Mr. Nabil M. Dabour, Director of Economic and Social Research Department, and Mr. Mehmet F. Serenli, Director of Training and Technical Cooperation Department.

H.E. Iyad Ameen Madani, Secretary General of the OIC, paid an official visit to the Republic of Turkey on 14-15 January 2014. During his two-day official visit to Ankara, H.E. the Secretary General was received by H.E. Abdullah Gül, President of the Republic of Turkey, and H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Prime Minister. He also had meetings with H.E. Ali Babacan, Deputy Prime Minister, H.E. Ahmet Davutoğlu, Minister of Foreign Affairs and H.E. Cevdet Yılmaz, Minister of Development. The Secretary General was briefed by the COMCEC Coordination Office on its activities and COMCEC’s new strategy. On 15th January, the Secretary General addressed the 6th Turkish Ambassadorial Conference, which was attended by Turkish ambassadors serving overseas.

In accordance with its 2014 Annual Work Plan, SESRIC organised the Training Course on 'Information Society Statistics' at the National Institute of Statistics (INS) in Niamey, Niger on 14-15 January 2014. The training was attended by 20 experts from the INS, AJSN, ANP, CSC, DS Communication, IFTIC, MCT/EN, ONEP, and ORTN (Télé Sahel and Voix du Sahel). Mr. Bouazza Bouchkhar, an expert of the Directorate of Statistics at the High Commission for Planning of Morocco, was the trainer for the training programme.

The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) has hosted the Brainstorming Session on the Transfer of Knowledge and Expertise in the Field of Science &Technology among the OIC Member Countries, on 09 January 2014 in Ankara, Turkey, at its headquarters.