Thursday, 5 November 2009
The 25th session of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC) of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) has begun in Istanbul.
High-level officials from the member states convened under the chairmanship of Kemal Madenoglu, undersecretary of the Turkish State Planning Organization (DPT).
Issues such as global financial crisis, cooperation among member states and combat against poverty will be high on agenda of the two-day meeting.
On Saturday, ministers from the member states to the OIC will convene in Istanbul. Turkish President Abdullah Gul will receive the ministers following the opening session.
The COMCEC Economy Summit will be held at Istanbul's Four Seasons Hotel on November 9 to mark the 25th anniversary of the committee.
Heads of state and government will be in attendance at the summit which is expected to focus on activities of the committee in the last 25 years.
COMCEC Central Banks Governors' Meeting and OIC Stock Exchanges Cooperation Meeting will also take place in Istanbul.
A Business Forum meeting will be held on November 5 and 6 by the Union of Turkish Chambers & Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) in association with the Association of Independent Industrialists & Businessmen (MUSIAD) with the participation of businessmen from the member countries.
-COMCEC-
The COMCEC was established during the Third Islamic Summit Conference held in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in 1981. COMCEC became operational at the Fourth Islamic Summit in 1984 with the election of the president of Turkey as its chairman.
The committee aims at developing economic and commercial cooperation among the member states.
It has 57 member states and three observer members.
