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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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, addressed the ministers of higher education and scientific research of the OIC Member Countries at the 5th Islamic Conference of Ministers of Higher Education and Scientific Research (ICMHESR). The Conference was organised by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) and hosted by the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia during the period of 19-21 October 2010.

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.

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.

SESRIC supported and participated in the International Symposium on Poverty Alleviation Strategies: Experiences and New Ideas, which was held in Istanbul, Turkey during the period 13-15 October 2010. The Symposium was hosted by the Prime Ministry General Directorate of Social Assistance and Solidarity of the Republic of Turkey, and brought together social scientists from different disciplines, researchers, national/international experts from public/private sector, representatives from international organisations and NGOs.

The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) in collaboration with the Arab Institute for Training and Research in Statistics (AITRS) organised a Training Course on “How to Transfer from 1993 to 2008 National Accounts System” on 11-14 October 2010, in Amman, Jordan. The course was attended by 21 participants representing 12 Arab countries such as Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE and Yemen.

SESRIC has been awarded with a plaque of gratitude at the 14th International Business Forum as an appreciation for its efforts and contributions to the organisation of the Congress on “The Importance of Technology for Development in Islamic Countries”.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed on 6 October 2010 between the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) and the Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey (TEPAV) with the aim of promoting and supporting the development of Special Economic Zones as a platform for private sector development and economic integration among the OIC Member Countries.

Dr. Savaş Alpay, Director General of SESRIC, addressed the 14th International Business Forum (IBF) Congress on the theme “The Importance of Technology for Development in Islamic Countries” on 6 October 2010 in Istanbul, Turkey.

The cooperation project on OIC-ISIP Programme was accomplished during the summer of 2010 together with Independent Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (MÜSİAD), and BABIALEM International Student Association. 14 university students from 10 different OIC Member Countries, pursuing their degrees in various technical and vocational areas, were recruited in companies affiliated to the Independent Businessmen and Industrialist’s Association (MÜSİAD), in İstanbul.

The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) in Collaboration with the Arab Institute for Training and Research in Statistics (AITRS) organized a “Training Course on Quarterly National Accounts and Short-Term Indicators” on 6-10 October 2010, in Amman, Jordan. The course was attended by 20 participants representing 12 Arab states such as, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE and Yemen.

The 26th Session of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (COMCEC), which is chaired by the President of the Republic of Turkey, convened in Istanbul, Turkey on 5-8 October 2010 with the participation of delegates from 45 OIC member countries, five observer countries, one invited country, 13 OIC organizations, and six international/regional organizations.

The Fourth Islamic Conference of Ministers of Environment was held under the high patronage of H.E. Mr. Zine El Abidin Ben Ali, President of the Tunisian Republic, in the city of Hammamet, Tunisia, on 5-6 October 2010.

The 100th International Conference of the Applied Econometrics Association with the theme “A Transdisciplinary Approach in Science and New Economic Paradigms” convened on 4-5 October 2010 in Ankara, Turkey under the sponsorship of Bilkent University, the Central Bank of Republic of Turkey (CBRT) and Turkish State Planning Organization (SPO). The Centre was represented by Dr. Murat Atlamaz, Senior Researcher, and Mr. Atilla Karaman, Researcher.

SESRIC hosted the Second Project Steering Group Meeting of the Atlas of Islamic World Innovation Project during the period 3-4 October 2010 in Istanbul, Turkey under the Chairmanship of H.E. Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, the Secretary General of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC). The meeting was attended by the national focal points of the Atlas Project and in-country researchers of pilot countries, as well as the relevant OIC institutions and international partners.

The 4th Meeting of the OIC Member States' Stock Exchanges Forum convened on 2-3 October 2010 in Istanbul, Turkey. The Meeting was hosted by the Istanbul Stock Exchange and attended by the representatives of 13 stock exchanges, 6 central depositories, clearing and registry institutions and 10 related organisations and institutions, including the SESRIC. Mr. Atilla Karaman, Reseacher, represented the Centre thereat.

The Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB) organised the "Seminar on Islamic Capital Markets" on 1 October 2010 in Istanbul, Turkey. The seminar, hosted by the Istanbul Stock Exchange (ISE), has been the first of the three awareness programmes of the IFSB to take place in October 2010. The Seminar has been held back to back with the Fourth OIC Member States' Stock Exchanges Forum. Mr. Atilla Karaman, Researcher, represented the Centre thereat.

Dr. Savaş Alpay, Director General of SESRIC, addressed the Governors of Central Banks and Monetary Authorities of the OIC Member Countries on 27 September 2010 during the opening session of the Meeting of Central Banks and Monetary Authorities of the OIC Member Countries-2010, which was jointly organised by the Central Bank of Turkey and SESRIC in Istanbul, Turkey.

The Third Meeting of the Project Committee and the Fourth Meeting of the Steering Committee for the Implementation of the OIC Cotton Action Plan were held on 27-28 September in Casablanca, Kingdom of Morocco. The Third Project Committee Meeting was chaired by Dr. Osman Mahjoub ELFIEL, from the IDB Group and the Fourth Steering Committee Meeting was chaired by Mr. İsmail KALENDER, General Manager, Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Republic of the Turkey.

A one day workshop was organized by SESRIC in cooperation with the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey on “Payment Systems and Capacity Building of Central Banks of OIC Member Countries” on 26 September 2010 in Istanbul, Turkey. The main objective of the workshop was to exchange views and experiences on payment systems in OIC Member Countries and on capacity building programmes organized by the Central Banks, as well as to explore the possibility for further cooperation and collaboration among the Central Banks.

SESRIC received a delegation from the U.S. Civilian Research and Development Foundation on 21 September 2010 at its headquarters. The delegation comprised of Ms. Natalia Pipia, Senior Programme Manager at CRDF, and Mr. Khaled J. Touqan, Director of CRDF Jordan and MENA Office.

The Workshop on Agricultural and Rural Development 'Sharing of Best Practices and Success Stories within the Poverty Reduction Framework' was organized by the SESRIC and IDB on 16-18 September 2010 in Antalya, Turkey. Experts and practitioners from various OIC Member Countries including Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Indonesia, Pakistan, Malaysia, Senegal, Sudan, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda and Yemen and from regional and international organisations including the OIC General Secretariat, COMCEC Coordination Office, ICCI, AAAID, ACSAD, AGRA, AOAD, FAO, ICARDA and IFAD attended the workshop. Mr. Atilla Karaman, Researcher, represented the SESRIC thereat.

The Sixteenth Session of the Committee for the Coordination of Statistical Activities (CCSA) was held in Vienna from 1 to 3 September 2010. It was hosted jointly by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the International Atomic Energy Agency. The session was held at the Vienna International Centre (VIC). Dr. Sıdıka Başçı, Director of Statistics and Information Department represented SESRIC during the Sixteenth Session of the CCSA.

SESRIC participated in the “Ninth Management Seminar for the Heads of National Statistical Offices (NSOs) in Asia and the Pacific” which was organised by the Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific (SIAP) and the 40th Anniversary Celebration of the SIAP on 31 August – 2 September 2010, in Tokyo, Japan.

The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) received the donation of the State of Qatar towards the construction of the Centre's Headquarters. Mr. Mohamed Ali al-Malki, Chargé d'affaires a.i. of the Embassy of the State of Qatar to the Republic of Turkey, handed the cheque issued by Qatar National Bank.

The World Association of Industrial Technological Research Organizations (WAITRO) delegation comprising of Dr. Rohani Hashim, Secretary General of WAITRO and Mr. Zulkefli Mohd Nani, Programme Manager visited SESRIC.

The First General Assembly of the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC) was convened in Ankara, Republic of Turkey, on 2-3 August 2010. Being the Turkish representative in the SMIIC General Assembly, the Turkish Standards Institution (TSE) organised this Meeting, in cooperation with the OIC General Secretariat, as the Statute of SMIIC has entered into force through the ratification of ten OIC Member States of the OIC.

Pursuant to the decision of the 26th Meeting of COMCEC Follow-up Committee, a Mid-term Review Meeting of the OIC Ten-Year Programme of Action (OIC-TYPOA) in the economic domain was held in the premises of the Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA), in Istanbul, Republic of Turkey on 28-30 July 2010.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) delegation comprising of Mr. Parviz Koohafkan, Director of Land and Water Division (NRL) at the FAO, and Mr. Moustafa Sinaceur, the FAO Sub-regional Coordinator for Central Asia visited SESRIC on 13 July 2010.

‘The International Conference on Strategies of Scientific Research in the Universities of the Muslim World: Reality and Prospects’ was jointly organized by International Institute for Muslim Unity (IIMU), International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), The Federation of Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW), and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 6-8 July 2010 with the objective of preparing studies, reference documents and recommendations that provide the basis of a working plan to draw clear and practical scientific strategies that would ultimately lead to future plans for promoting the status of scientific research in the countries of the Muslim world.

The OIC Secretary General H.E. Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu and the UN Assistant Secretary General H.E. Mr. Lynn Pascoe have officially opened the 3-days UN-OIC General Meeting on Cooperation, on Tuesday, 29 June 2010 in Istanbul, Turkey. SESRIC has been represented thereat by Mr. Mehmet Fatih Serenli, Director of Training and Technical Cooperation Department, and Mr. Murat İlkin, Researcher.

SESRIC participated in the preparatory meeting for the High Level Regional Conference on Central Asia organised by the OIC General Secretariat in the premises of OIC Research Centre for Islamic Histroy, Art and Culture (IRCICA) in Istanbul on 28 June 2010. The main purpose of the meeting was to explore the possible areas of cooperation between the Central Asian OIC Member Countries and the rest of the Muslim World, and identify the roles of the OIC Organs in this regard. The meeting was attended by the OIC General Secretariat, COMCEC Coordination Office, Islamic Development Bank (IBD), SESRIC and ICDT.

The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) participated in the “Networking and Knowledge Sharing Programme for Senior Staff of Chambers of Commerce and Industry from Arabic Speaking Countries of the OIC”. The Meeting was jointly organised by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchange of Turkey (TOBB). The Meeting was held at the Headquarters of TOBB in Ankara during the period 22-25 June 2010.

At the eve of 35th Annual Meeting of the Islamic Development Bank Group (IDB Group), International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), a member of IDB Group, organized a two-day Meeting to develop and enrich the Road Map for Enhancing Intra-OIC Trade. The Meeting held in Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan on the 21st- 22nd June, 2010.

A delegation headed by Mr. Sıddık Topaloğlu, the Deputy Undersecretary of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security of the Republic of Turkey visited SESRIC on 11 June 2010. The delegation comprised of Mr. İsmail Gerim, Deputy General Director of the General Directorate of Occupational Health and Safety in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Mr. Coşkun Demirci, Director of Occupational Health and Safety Centre (İSGÜM) and a number of senior experts from the Ministry.

The Project titled “Support to policy consultation and actions to boost sustainable use of water and energy resources for agricultural production and livelihood improvement in the Near East Region in the context of climate change” was signed by H.E. Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, the Secretary General of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and Mr. Jacques Diouf, the Director General of Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) on 9 June 2010. The Project is a one-year project, and will be implemented in a context of a global financial crisis and will also be an opportunity to address water control projects within the framework of an undergoing program “Special Program for Food Security (SPFS)”. SESRIC has been designated as the OIC implementing agency of the Project, and a member of the Project Task Force.

The OIC-VET pilot project titled “Strengthening VET through Local Vocational Courses: the Experience of the Centre of Art and Vocational Training Courses of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İSMEK)” was inaugurated by Mrs. Emine Erdoğan, wife of Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on 8 June 2010 at Feshane International Fair Congress and Culture Center, in Istanbul, Republic of Turkey. The project was organized jointly by SESRIC and İSMEK with the participation of representatives of the municipalities from nine OIC Member Countries, namely Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Iran, Kuwait, Libya, Morocco, Pakistan, Syria and Yemen.

SESRIC has successfully initiated, in cooperation with the Centre for Art and Vocational Training Courses of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İSMEK), the second Pilot Project of the OIC-VET Pilot Application Phase titled “Strengthening VET through Local Vocational Courses: the Experience of İSMEK”. The OIC-VET pilot project started with the opening ceremony of the 13th General Exhibition of İSMEK and took place at Feshane International Fair Congress and Culture Center, in Istanbul, Republic of Turkey during the period 9-10 June 2010, with the participation of representatives of the municipalities from nine OIC Member Countries, namely Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Iran, Kuwait, Libya, Morocco, Pakistan, Syria and Yemen.

Upon the request of the Member Countries of OIC Group in Geneva, Human Rights Council convened special session for considering human tragedy caused by Israeli attack on international convey carrying humanitarian aids to Gaza. The council after two days deliberation adopted the OIC proposed resolution (A/HRC/14/L.1 by voting called by US.

Within the framework of the implementation of the OIC Ten Year Program of Action (which along with other objectives aims to raise the share of intra-OIC trade in the global trade of the OIC Member States to 20% by 2015), particularly in the context of the implementation of the “Road Map for Enhancing Intra-OIC Trade”, which has been adopted by the Expert Group Meeting on “enhancing intra-OIC trade” held in Ankara in July 2008 and in compliance with the outcomes of the First Consultative Meeting of the OIC Institutions operating in the economic field, the Islamic Centre for Development of Trade (ICDT) and the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) organized the 2nd Consultative Meeting of the OIC Institutions to review the progress on the implementation of the “ Executive Program of the Road-Map for Achieving Intra-OIC Trade Targets”.

SESRIC received a delegation comprised of experts on occupational health and safety from OIC Member Countries on 25 May 2010, as part of the OIC-VET Pilot Project titled “Study visit on Occupational Health and Safety”, which was jointly organised by SESRIC and the Turkish Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (İSGÜM) in Ankara, Turkey. Members of the delegation were experts from the Arab Labour Organisation, Azerbaijan, Jordan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Libya and Pakistan.

The Centre organised a training course on “National Accounts: Supply-Use and Input-Output Tables” at the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) of the Arab Republic of Egypt, on May 25-27, 2010. The course was provided by Mr. Mehmet Kula, expert from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) and was attended by 26 staff members of the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) and the Ministry of Planning of Egypt.

SESRIC has successfully initiated, in cooperation with the Turkish Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (ISGUM), the first OIC-VET “Cooperation Project on Occupational Safety and Health” . The Cooperation Project was realized at the premises of ISGUM during the period 24-28 May 2010, in Ankara, Turkey, with the participation of experts and directors of occupational safety and health from 7 OIC Member Countries, namely Azerbaijan, Jordan, Libya, Malaysia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Syria. Additionally, the Arab Labour Organization was also represented at this project.p>

A SESRIC delegation comprised of Eng. Huseyin Hakan Eryetli, Director of IT and Publication Department and Mr. Mehmet Fatih Serenli, Director of Training and Technical Cooperation Department visited Continuing Education Office of Qatar University (QU) in Doha on May 20th, 2010. The SESRIC delegation was accompanied by Mr. Khalid Mohammed Al-Khulaifi, Head of Human Resources at Qatar Statistics Authority (QSA) and welcomed by Dr. Tajalsir Ibrahim Kardaman, Director of Continuing Education Office at QU.

A SESRIC delegation composed of Eng. Huseyin Hakan Eryetli, Director of IT and Publication Department and Mr. Mehmet Fatih Serenli, Director of Training and Technical Cooperation Department was received by H.E. Sheikh Hamad bin Jabor bin Jassim Al Thani, President of the QSA, and high level officials from the Qatar Statistics Authority (QSA) in Doha, Qatar on 19 May 2010.

The 37th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) (Session of Shared Vision of a More Secure and Prosperous Islamic World) was held in Dushanbe, Republic of Tajikistan from 4 to 6 Jamadul Thani 1431 H (18th -20th May 2010). A wide range of issues of interest to the Member States were discussed during the Meeting and resolutions were adopted by the Council concerning the Palestinian Cause and the Middle East; Other issues such as; Political Affairs; Ten-Year Programme of Action; Statutory, Organic and General Matters; Legal Affairs; Conditions of Muslim Minorities and Communities in non-OIC Member States; Information Affairs; Administrative and Financial and Humanitarian Affairs were also discussed during the Council.

An International Scientific Symposium entitled “ICT Impact on Municipal Service Development: Towards E-Government” was co-organised by the Organisation of Islamic Capitals and Cities (OICC) and the Doha Municipality in Doha, Qatar on 18-20 May 2010. An exhibition on “ICT and Achievements of Islamic Capitals and Cities” was held in parallel to the symposium. SESRIC was represented thereat by Eng. Hüseyin Hakan Eryetli, Director of IT and Publication Department and Mr. Mehmet Fatih Serenli, Director of Training and Technical Cooperation Department.

The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) organised the Second Meeting of the Monitoring and Advisory Committee (MAC) of the Vocational Education and Training Programme for OIC Member Countries (OIC-VET) in Antalya, Republic of Turkey, on 11-12 May 2010, on the sideline of the 26th Meeting of the Follow-up Committee of the COMCEC. The main purpose of the Meeting, which was chaired by Mr. Mehmet Fatih Serenli; Director of Training and Technical Cooperation Department at SESRIC, was to review the implementation process of the OIC-VET Programme since the First Meeting of the MAC. The Meeting was attended by the delegations of the National Focal Points (NFPs) of the OIC Member States, namely Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Indonesia, Iran, Morocco, Qatar, Senegal, Turkey and Yemen. Also present were representatives of the OIC General Secretariat and the concerned OIC Institutions, namely COMCEC, IDB, ICCI, ISESCO, OISA, and SESRIC.

The 26th Meeting of the Follow-up Committee of the COMCEC was held on 10-12 May 2010 in Antalya, Turkey, with the participation of 11 OIC Member Countries of the Committee (Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Palestine, Senegal, Kuwait, Iran, Cameroon, Pakistan, Qatar, Indonesia and Sierra Leone). The OIC General Secretariat and the following subsidiary, affiliated and specialised organs; namely, SESRIC, ICDT, IDB, ICCI, ITFC, and OISA; attended the Meeting. Representatives of ECO and FAO have also attended the meeting. The Centre was represented at the meeting by its Director General; Mr. Nabil Dabour, Director of Research Department; Mr. Mehmet Fatih Serenli, Director of Training and Technical Cooperation Department; Mr. Nader Abdulhamid, Researcher and Mr. Murat Ilkin, Researcher.

The Second Meeting of the Development Cooperation Institutions (DCIs) of the OIC Member Countries was organised jointly by SESRIC, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) and the OIC General Secretariat and held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on 3-4 May 2010. The Meeting was attended by 22 representatives of DCIs of 9 OIC Member Countries; namely Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Iran, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. It was also attended by representatives of the OIC General Secretariat, IDB, Arab Monetary Fund and SESRIC.

The Ministry of Higher Education of Saudi Arabia hosted the Technical Meeting of Experts on the Ranking of Universities in Islamic World on 24-25 April 2010 in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The Minister of Economy and Planning of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, H.E. Dr Khalid bin Muhammad Al-Qusaibi, received the Director General of SESRIC, H.E. Dr. Savas Alpay, at his office in Riyadh on Wednsday, 31 March 2010. During the meeting, Dr. Alpay briefed the Minister on various recent activities and initiatives of SESRIC in its three mandate areas of socio-economic research, statistics and training.

The 33rd Session of the Islamic Commission for Economic, Cultural and Social Affairs (ICECS) was held at the headquarters of the OIC General Secretariat in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on March 29th -31st, 2010 in preparation for the 37th Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers due to take place in Dushanbe, capital of Tajikistan, in May 2010. The Centre was represented by Dr. Savaş Alpay, Director General, Mr. Nabil Dabour, Director of Research Department, Mr. Mehmet Fatih Serenli, Director of Training and Technical Cooperation Department.

The delegates of the National Statistical Organization of Indonesia, Budan Pusat Statistik (BPS), who participated “The Meeting of National Statistical Organization of the OIC Member Countries” organized by SESRIC and IDB in İstanbul on 22-23 March 2010, visited the Headquarters of SESRIC in Ankara on 26 March 2010. The delegation of BPS was headed by Mr. Rusman Heriawan, Chief Statistician.

The Second Coordination Committee Meeting on the implementation of the “Framework for Development and Cooperation in the Domain of Tourism between the OIC Member States” was held in Antalya, Republic of Turkey, on 24-25 March 2010. The Meeting was attended by the representatives of the following Members of the Committee: Azerbaijan, Cameroon, Egypt, Iran, Malaysia, Senegal, Syria and Turkey. The representatives of the OIC General Secretariat and those of the following OIC institutions also attended the Meeting: SESRIC, IRCICA, ICDT, IUT, ISESCO, ICCI and COMCEC Coordination Office (CCO). Mr. Nabil Dabour, Director of Research Department represented SESRIC at the Meeting.

In the last decade, there has been proliferation of national, regional and international initiatives, each containing a set of goals and targets that must be monitored for progress and performance. In addition to these initiatives, our member countries are being challenged by new development issues such as financial and economic crisis, climate change, food security, etc. which are affecting all aspects of our lives. It is crucial to have access to timely, accurate, consistent and reliable data to undertake studies and identify the most affected countries by these issues and initiatives with the view to enable the development institutions intending to respond to the needs of these countries. To this end, given that the National Statistical Organizations (NSOs) of the Member Countries of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) -who are at different levels of development and face various constraints and problems- are the primary sources of data, the effective cooperation among them will be vital.

Director General of SESRIC received Mr. Michael Gaudé, Representative of the UNHCR Turkish Office, and Mr. Karim Atassi, Deputy Representative in his office on 9 March 2010. The Director General of SESRIC, Dr. Savaş Alpay, expressed his thanks and welcome to his guests, and articulated his appreciation with the role UNHCR is playing in providing assistance to millions of in dire conditions around the world.

SESRIC participated in the ‘Meeting of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts (IGGE) on the Final Review on the Proposed Rules of Joint-Staff Pension Scheme of the OIC Staff Members’ which was held on 6-7 March 2010 at the OIC Headquarters in Jeddah.

Upon the request of H.E. Mohanna Al Mohanna, Director General of the Central Department of Statistics and Information (CDSI) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, SESRIC conducted an expert mission for the period of 4 – 16 March 2010. Eng. Huseyin Hakan Eryetli, Acting Director of IT and Publication and expert on IT Projects and eGovernment has been sent to this mission.

The Centre organised a training course on “Quality in Statistics & Applications of New Data Collection Methods” at the State Committee on Statistics of Tajikistan, on March 1-3, 2010. The course was provided by Mr. Inan Inanli, expert from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) and was attended by 20 staff members of the State Committee on Statistics of Tajikistan.

The 2nd Meeting of the NSOs of the OIC Member Countries and the SESRIC was held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, USA on 25 February 2010 at 3.00 – 5.00 pm as a side event of the 41st Session of the United Nations Statistical Commission.

Dr. Savaş Alpay, Director General of the SESRIC visited the Headquarters of the United Nations Development Programme, where he met Ms. Amat Al Alim Alsoswa, UNDP Assistant Administrator and Regional Director of the Bureau for Arab States, on 25 February 2010. Ms. Amat Al Alim Alsoswa welcomed and thanked Dr. Alpay for his kind visit.

The 41st Session of the United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC) was held on February 23-26, 2010 in New York. The representatives of National Statistical Offices (NSOs) of UN Member States, observer countries and international organizations participated in the Session. SESRIC was represented thereat by Dr. Savaş Alpay, Director General, and Mrs.Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk, Researcher.

The Committee for the Coordination of Statistical Activities (CCSA) held its fifteenth session in New York, USA on 22 February 2010 on the margin of the 41st session of the United Nations Statistical Commission. The 15th session of CCSA was chaired by the two co-chairs of the Committee - Mr. Pieter Everaers, Director of External Cooperation, Communication and Key Indicators of Eurostat and Mr. Henri Laurencin, Head of Development Statistics and Information Branch of Division on Globalization and Development Strategies of UNCTAD. Representatives of the member institutions of the CCSA participated to the Session. Dr. Savaş Alpay, Director General and Mrs. Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk, researcher, represented the SESRIC thereat.

Dr. Savaş Alpay, Director General of SESRIC, received a delegation from the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (MÜSİAD), in his office on Tuesday 16 February 2010. The delegation comprised of Mr. Ömer Cihad Vardar, President of MÜSİAD; Mr. Mehmet Nuri Görenoğlu, Deputy President; Mr. Nail Olpak, Deputy President; Mr. Dursun Topçu, Member of Board; Mr. Murat Kalsın, Member of Board; and Eyüp Vural Aydın, General Secretary.

SESRIC participated in the 'Meeting of the National Focal Points (NFPs) of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) on Projects - Research Cooperation in Economic Research and Statistics' which was held on 15th February in Antalya, Turkey. During the meeting the representatives of the ECO Member States made statements on cooperation in statistics and economic research.

The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) organized and hosted a seminar on “An Early Warning Signals Approach for Currency Crises: The Turkish Case" in its headquarters in Ankara on February 4, 2010. The seminar has been delivered by Dr. Ali Arı.

Dr. Savaş Alpay, the Director General of SESRIC, has received a delegation from the General Directorate of Occupational Health and Safety of the Ministry of Labour, Turkey, in his office on 02 February 2010. The delegation comprised of Mr. Kasım Özen, Director General of the General Directorate of Occupational Health and Safety, Mr. İsmail Gerim, Deputy Director General, Mr. Coşkun Demirci, Director of Research and Training Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, and other two experts from the same Centre.

Dr. Savaş Alpay, Director General of SESRIC, received a delegation from the Center for Innovation and Technology Cooperation (CITC) of the Islamic Republic of Iran in his Office on 28 January 2010. The delegation comprised of Mr. Hamid Reza Amirinia, Chairman of the CITC of the Islamic Republic of Iran, two CITC advisors and one representative from the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Ankara, Turkey.

A delegation from the SESRIC, comprised of Mr. Mehmet Fatih Serenli, Director of Training and Technical Cooperation Department, and Ms. Sümeyye Erdoğan, Researcher at the same department; visited the Centre of Art and Vocational Training Courses of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (ISMEK), on 27 January 2010. The delegates were welcomed and greeted by Mr. Mehmet Doğan, Director of Training in Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Mr. Güven Çalışkan, General Coordinator of ISMEK, and other senior staff at the ISMEK Headquarters.

Dr. Savaş Alpay, Director General of the SESRIC and Mr. Nabil Dabour, Director of Research Department visited the Egyptian Cabinet Information and Decision Support Centre (IDSC) on 27 January 2010 upon the invitation of Dr. Magued Osman, Chairman of the IDSC to be acquainted with the IDSC’s activities and programmes and to discuss the potential cooperation between the two institutions.