Technical Education and Training Authority of the Province of Punjab (TEVTA), Islamic Republic of Pakistan, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The Centre for Art and Vocational Training Courses of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İSMEK), a training partner of SESRIC under the OIC-VET Programme, on 27 December 2010.

The Centre organised a training Course on “National Accounts: Supply and Use Tables” at Jordan Department of Statistics on 27-29 December 2010. The Course was provided by Dr. Hüsniye Aydın, an expert from the Turkish Statistical Institute of the Republic of Turkey, and was attended by 17 staff members of Jordan Department of Statistics in Jordan.

The Third Meeting of the OIC Statistical Working Group (SWG) was held at the Headquarters of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on 26 December 2010. The representatives of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) General Secretariat, Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), Islamic Development Bank (IDB), Islamic Centre for Development of Trade (ICDT), Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) and Central Department of Statistics and Information (CDSI) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia participated in the Meeting.

SESRIC delegation headed by Dr. Savaş Alpay, the Director General of SESRIC, and comprised of Mr. Nabil Dabour, Director of Research Department and Mr. Mehmet Fatih Serenli, Director of Training and Technical Cooperation Department, paid a two-day working visit to the Islamic Development Bank Group on 25-26 December 2010. The delegation conducted various technical meetings with different departments and units of the IDB Group with the aim of enhancing cooperation and collaboration between the two institutions in various issues of common interest, particularly a mechanism for joint implementation of the OIC-VET Sub-Programme on Trade, Economy and Finance (OICVET-TEF).

SESRIC participated in the Inaugural Event for the Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) Initiative, which was held on 14-15 December 2010 at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Alexandria, Egypt.

The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) organized a training course on “Basic Occupational Health and Safety: International OHS Regulations, Health and Safety Management System and Risk Assessment Methodologies” on 13-15 December 2010, in Ankara, Turkey. The course was attended by 15 staff members from İSGÜM and delivered by Mr. Sham Zahary Sudin, Manager of Northern Region Office, from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of Malaysia.

The workshop on “Private Sector Cooperation for Enhancing Intra-OIC Tourism” was held in Izmir, Turkey, on 10 December 2010. The workshop was organised by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey in accordance with the Resolution adopted by the 26th session of the COMCEC, held in Istanbul, the Republic of Turkey, on 5-8 October 2010. The Workshop was attended by representatives of private tourism agencies in some OIC member countries and representatives of the following OIC institutions: COMCEC Coordination Office, SESRIC, ICDT, and ICCI.

The International Forum on “Kazakhstan and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference: New Prospects for Cooperation” was held on December 9, 2010 in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The forum, which was organized by the Foundation of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, brought together political figures, academicians, and other experts from the OIC member countries. An OIC delegation of five diplomats led by Ambassador Abdul Moiz Bokhari, Assistant Secretary General of the OIC, represented the OIC General Secretariat. The SESRIC was represented by Dr. Murat Atlamaz, a Senior Researcher from the Research Department.

The First Conference of Al-Khawarezmi Committee on Statistics, the first of a regular biennial event, was held on 6 -8 December 2010 in Doha, Qatar. Dr. Savaş Alpay, Director General of SESRIC, and Mr. Huseyin Hakan Eryetli, Director of IT and Publications, represented the Centre thereat.

SESRIC has participated in the Mid-Term Review Meeting of the Ten-Year Programme of Action to Meet the Challenges Facing Ummah in the 21st Century (TYPOA) and Vision 1441H for Science and Technology. The meeting was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates during the period 4-6 December 2010. Senior officials of 15 OIC Member States and concerned OIC Institutions, namely OIC General Secretariat, OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH), Statistical Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), Islamic Development Bank (IDB), Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) Islamic Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO), Islamic University of Technology (IUT), Islamic University of Uganda and Islamic University of Niger participated in the meeting. SESRIC was represented thereat by Dr. Savaş Alpay, Director General, and Mr. Mehmet Fatih Serenli, Director of Training and Technical Cooperation Department.

The Centre organised a training course on “Inflation Targeting” at the National Bank of Tajikistan on 29 November – 1 December 2010. The course was provided by Ms. Neslihan Kaya, expert from the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey and was attended by 8 staff members of the National Bank of Tajikistan.

Dr. Savaş Alpay, Director General of the SESRIC and Mr. Nabil Dabour, Director of Research Department visited the Technical and Vocational Training Organisation of Islamic Republic of Iran (TVTO) on 29 November 2010 upon the invitation of Prof. Abdolrasoul. Pourabbas, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Affairs and President of TVTO, to discuss issues of mutual interest of cooperation between the two institutions, particularly the preparations for organising the 3rd Meeting of the Monitoring and Advisory Committee (MAC) of the OIC Vocational Education and Training Programme (OIC-VET), which the TVTO of Iran offered to host in 2011.

The 7th session of the Islamic Conference of Tourism Ministers (ICTM) was held in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, on 28-30 November 2010. The Ministerial Session, which was held on 30 November 2010, was preceded by a two-day Meeting, on 28-29 November 2010, of the Senior Officials preparatory to the 7th Session of the ICTM. Senior Officials from 22 OIC member countries and representatives of the OIC General Secretariat and eight OIC institutions, namely: COMCEC Coordination Office, IRCICA, SESRIC, ICDT, IUT, ISESCO, IDB and ICCI attended the Meeting. The SESRIC was presented at the Conference by Dr. Savas Alpay, the Director General of the Centre, and Mr. Nabil Dabour, Director of Research Department.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) and the Regional Office for the Framework Convention Alliance for Tobacco Control for the Eastern Mediterranean (FCA) with an aim to promote cooperation in providing assistance regarding the development of policies and legislation as well as the capacity building programmes related to tobacco control in the OIC Member Countries.

The Fifth OIC Ministerial Conference on Food Security and Agricultural Development was held under the patronage of H.E. Omar Hassan Al-Bashir, President of the Republic of the Sudan, in Khartoum on 26-28 October, 2010. The Conference was attended by honourable ministers and delegates from 29 OIC member states and 3 OIC observer states. The Conference was also attended by the representatives of the OIC General Secretariat and its relevant institutions as well as representatives of some regional and international organizations. Mr. Mazhar Hussain, Researcher, represented the SESRIC in the Conference and gave a presentation entitled “Agricultural Development and Food Security in the OIC Countries: Challenges and Opportunities for Cooperation”.

Eleven central banks and two multilateral organisations signed the Articles of Agreement for the establishment of the International Islamic Liquidity Management Corporation (IILM) on 25 October 2010 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This global initiative is aimed to assist institutions offering Islamic financial services in addressing their liquidity management efficiently and effectively. In addition, the initiative would facilitate greater investment flows for the Islamic financial service industry. To this end, the IILM will issue, in an integrated manner, high quality Shariah -compliant financial instruments at both the national level and across borders, thereby enhancing the soundness and stability of the jurisdictions in which they operate.

Dr. Savaş Alpay, Director General of SESRIC, had a bilateral meeting with senior officials in the Ministry of Health Indonesia on 22 October 2010 in Jakarta, Republic of Indonesia, with Prof. Agus Purwadianto, the Head of National Board for Health Research & Development, Ministry of Health and with Mr. Trihono, Head of Ecology Research Centre.

Dr. Savaş Alpay, Director General of SESRIC, had a bilateral meeting with the Indonesian National Focal Point of the OIC-VET Programme on 22 October 2010 at the Directorate of Technical and Vocational Education of Ministry of National Education in Jakarta, Republic of Indonesia.

SESRIC received a delegation from the United States on 19 October 2010 at its headquarters to discuss possible means and ways of cooperation and collaboration on polio eradication and on mother and child health. The delegation consisted of Mr. Edwin Brown, Deputy Director at Office of International Health and Bio-defence of Department of State; Ms. Ellyn W. Ogden, Senior Technical Advisor for Health, USAID Worldwide Polio Eradication Coordinator; Mr. Ellias Durry, Global Immunization Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services and John C. Letvin, Economic Officer, United States Embassy in Ankara.

Dr. Savaş Alpay, Director General of SESRIC, delivered a keynote presentation on ‘Research and Scientific Developments in OIC Member Countries’ at the Muslim Universities Vice-Chancellors’/Presidents’ Forum jointly organised by the Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia and the National Higher Education Research Institute (IPPTN) of University Sains Malaysia on 19-20 October 2010 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.