SESRIC organized two consecutive training courses on "Fundamental Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) for Supervisor" and "Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan" between 25 and 28 December 2018 in Ankara, Turkey.

Within the framework of the OIC Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised a Technical Mission on ‘Sustainable Development Statistics’ on 24-26 December 2018 at the Agency on Statistics under President of the Republic of Tajikistan, which is the central statistical office of the country.

SESRIC attended the ‘Workshop on Regional Cooperation and Integration’ organised by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Regional Hub in Turkey on 19 December 2018 in Ankara, Republic of Turkey.

The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) launched the first version of the Palestinian Administrative Business Register (ABR) on 19 December 2018, which was developed through the last three years in collaboration with Palestinian and other partners.

The 41^st Meeting of the Board of Directors of SESRIC was convened on 18^th December 2018 at the Headquarters of SESRIC with the participation of the following representatives of the new elected member countries of the Board for the term of the three-year period from 1^st April 2018 to 31^st March 2021: Mr. Hounsa Mahounou Laurent (representative of Republic of Benin), Mr. Salahadine Hassan Abdalla (Representative of Republic of Chad), Mr. Mahmoud Muhammed Ali Abdurrahman (representative of State of Palestine), Mr. Abulldah M. Albatil (representative of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia), Mrs. Neila Ben Khalifa (representative of Republic of Tunisia), Amb. Mohammad Wali Naeemi (representative of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan), Mr. Arhan Syafrisyah bin Shah Anur (representative of Malaysia), and Prof. Omer Demir (representative of Republic of Turkey). Amb. Musa Kulaklıkaya, Director General of SESRIC, and Mr. Jakhongir Khasanov, the representative of the Secretary General of the OIC, attended the Meeting as ex officio members of the Board. The Meeting was also attended by the Heads of the Departments of the Centre.

SESRIC attended the “3^rd Annual Capacity Building Program for Green Crescents” organised by the International Federation of Green Crescents on 17-20 December 2018 in Antalya, Turkey.

SESRIC, in collaboration with the Turkish Red Crescent Youth, Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Greater Municipality of Ankara and Migration Policy Application and Research Center, organised a workshop on “International Forced Migration: Challenges and Opportunities” on 15-17 December 2018 in Ankara, Turkey.

SESRIC and TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Center (TÜBİTAK MAM) signed an agreement within the scope of the “Reverse Linkage Project between Turkey and Pakistan on Earthquake Seismological Research” on 13 December 2018 at SESRIC HQ in Ankara, Turkey.

SESRIC organised a Study Visit on ‘Metadata’ on 12-13 December 2018 in Astana, Republic of Kazakhstan within the framework of OIC Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme. The Committee on Statistics under the Ministry of National Economy of Kazakhstan hosted the study visit for the benefit of two delegates from the Agency on Statistics under President of the Republic of Tajikistan.

The OIC International Internship Programme was introduced to the chambers of commerce and industry in the city of Eskisehir, Bilecik, and Bursa in Turkey, through a series of meetings organised by SESRIC in collaboration with BEBKA Regional Development Agency, between 12 and 13 December 2018.

SESRIC organised a Technical Mission on ‘Community Outreach through Social Media for National Statistics Offices’ on 11-12 December 2018 to the Department of Economic Planning and Development (JPKE) of Brunei Darussalam within the framework of OIC Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme.

SESRIC attended a Workshop on the Specific Measures and Indicators for the Achievements of Sustainable Development Goals from Family Perspective in the OIC Member States, which took place on 10-11 December 2018 in Jeddah.

SESRIC organised a Statistics Course on ‘Price Statistics' on 10-12 December 2018 at the Ministry of Development Planning & Statistics (MDPS) of State of Qatar within the framework of OIC Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme.

SESRIC organised a Statistics Course on ‘Environment Statistics' on 10-12 December 2018 at the State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SSC) within the framework of OIC Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme.

SESRIC attended the Symposium on Steps and Measures to Express Rejection of UNHRC Resolution on Sexual Orientation, which took place on 9 December 2018 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. SESRIC made a presentation where it provided a set of recommendations for the consideration of OIC Member States.

Technology Investment Meeting (TIM) 2018 Next Up event was held on 5-6 December 2018 in Pardis Technology Park, Tehran, Iran.

In accordance with its 2018 Annual Work Plan and within the framework of Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised the Statistics Course on ‘Tourism Statistics’ at the Department of Economic Planning and Development (JPKE) of Brunei Darussalam on 4-6 December 2018.

The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) launched the 2018 Edition of its Statistical Yearbook (SYB) on OIC Member Countries at the Fourth Session of the Annual Coordination Meeting of OIC Institutions (ACMOI) on 3 December 2018 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The Palestinian Cabinet approved and issued a decree on implementing the Second Agriculture Census 2020 on 4th December, 2018. Implemented in cooperation between the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics and the Ministry of Agriculture, the agriculture census aims to establish a detailed, accurate, comprehensive and updated database of agricultural holdings, which is considered a key factor essential for the development of strategies and drafting policies for the development of the agricultural sector to improve living conditions and maintain food security for the sustainable development of the agricultural sector.

The 4^th Session of the Annual Coordination Meeting of OIC Institutions (ACMOI) took place on 03-04 December 2018 at the Headquarters of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

SESRIC organized a 5-day Study Visit on “Sustainable Aquaculture in OIC Countries” on 03-07 December 2018 in Antalya, Turkey. The visit was organised within the framework of OIC Agriculture Capacity Building Programme and mainly focused, among others, on the following topics:

SESRIC organised a Statistics Course on ‘Manufacturing and Construction Statistics’ on 3-4 December 2018 at the Ministry of Development Planning & Statistics (MDPS) of State of Qatar within the framework of OIC Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme.

The Seventh Session of the Ministerial Conference on the Role of Women in the Development of OIC Member States took place on 30 November – 1 December 2018 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, under the theme of "Women’s Empowerment in the OIC Member States: Challenges and Prospects”.

The 6^th OIC Halal Expo and World Halal Summit (WHS) took place on 29 November – 02 December 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey.

SESRIC organised a Study Visit on ‘Justice and Crime Statistics’ on 28-30 November 2018 in Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan within the framework of OIC Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme. The State Statistical Committee (SSC) of the Republic of Azerbaijan hosted the study visit for the benefit of two delegates from the Committee on Statistics under the Ministry of National Economy of Kazakhstan.

The Global South-South Development Expo (GSSD Expo) 2018 took place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, on 28-30 November 2018. The United Nations Office organizes the EXPO for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) in close consultation with the UN General Assembly High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation and UN specialized agencies, funds and programmes.

In accordance with its 2018 Annual Work Plan and within the framework of Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised a Statistics Course on ‘Human Settlements and Housing Statistics’ on 27-29 November 2018 at the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Analysis (INSAE) of Republic of Benin.

The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) and the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen their cooperation in the areas of common interest and promote sustainable social and economic development in their respective member states.

SESRIC organised a Statistics Course on ‘Statistical Marketing and Dealing with the Social Media’ on 26-28 November 2018 at the Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) of State of Kuwait within the framework of OIC Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme.

SESRIC organised a Statistics Course on ‘Sustainable Development Statistics’ on 26-28 November 2018 at the State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SSC) within the framework of OIC Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme.

SESRIC organised a Statistics Course on ‘Banking, Insurance and Financial Statistics’ on 26-28 November 2018 at the Department of Statistics (DOS) of Jordan within the framework of OIC Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme.

The 34^th Ministerial Session the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC) took place on 26-29 November 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. High-level representatives from the Member States and the OIC institutions, as well as other international organizations, NGOs, think tanks, private sector organizations and the academia around the globe attended the session.

SESRIC organized the Training Course on OIC Diplomacy for Junior Diplomats from the Member States on 26-29 November 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey.

The Permanent Secretariat of the OIC Computer Emergency Response Team (OIC-CERT), in cooperation with the Cyber Security Malaysia, organized the Ninth General Meeting and Annual Conference 2018”. This year’s event was held under the theme “Cyber Threats to the Public: Social Networks and Mobile Apps” on 26-29 November 2018 in the city of Shiraz, Iran. The Computer Emergency Response Team and Coordination Center of Iran (CERTCC.IR) hosted the event.

SESRIC and the Ministry of Health of Turkey organised a 3-week training programme on Intensive Care & Infection Control between 26 November and 14 December 2018 in Ankara, Turkey.

The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) and the Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB) signed today a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to reinforce the collaboration on the field of Islamic finance statistics.

SESRIC and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) jointly organized an International Symposium on Financing for Development, between 22 and 23 November 2018 in Istanbul Turkey.

The Government of the Republic of Indonesia hosted the First Meeting of the Head of National Medicine Regulatory Authorities (NMRAs) on 21-22 November 2018 in Jakarta, Indonesia.

SESRIC, in collaboration with Baku Stock Exchange and Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation, organised a Seminar on “IPO and Bond Issue as a Way for Company Development” on 20 November 2018 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

SESRIC, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Turkey, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and the Federal Ministry of Health of Sudan, jointly organised a training course on “Disaster and Prehospital Medicine” on 18-29 November 2018 in Khartoum, Sudan.

SESRIC, in collaboration with Corporate Governance Academy (KYA) and The NGO World Foundation organized an NGO Capacity Building Training on 17-18 November 2018 at Yenikapı Eurasia Culture and Art Center in Istanbul, Turkey on the sideline of the Third International NGO Fair.

SESRIC attended the Workshop on “The Role of Social Media in Supporting the Work of the OIC", organized by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, world’s second largest inter-governmental organization, on 15 November 2018 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

SESRIC has become a formal member of the Subgroup on Gender Statistics Training (SGGST) of the Network for the Coordination of Statistical Training in Asia and the Pacific coordinated by the UN Women (the secretariat of the subgroup) and the Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific (SIAP) (the secretariat of the Network) on 15 November 2018.

SESRIC organised the Study Visit on ‘Income and Consumption Statistics’ on 13-15 November 2018 in Cairo, Egypt within the framework of OIC Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme. Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) of Egypt hosted the study visit for the benefit of one delegate from General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) of Saudi Arabia.

SESRIC organized a 3-day training course on “Halal Tourism and Muslim-Friendly Hospitality Service” on 13-15 November 2018 Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

SESRIC organised a Statistics Course on ‘Statistical Marketing and Dealing with the Social Media’ on 26-28 November 2018 at the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) of Sudan within the framework of OIC Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme.

SESRIC, in collaboration with the Institute of NGO Leadership and Management (INGOLAM) organized a 1-day Brainstorming Session on effective leadership for NGOs on 13th November 2018 in Islamabad, Pakistan.

In accordance with its 2018 Annual Work Plan and within the framework of Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised the Statistics Course on ‘Statistical Records of Economic Establishments’ at the Central Statistical Organization (CSO) of Republic of Iraq on 12-14 November 2018.

SESRIC, the Universal Postal Union (UPU), Tunis Post and Telecommunications & Post Regulatory Authority in Sudan jointly organized a Seminar on "Integrated Postal Reform and Development Plan and Postal Reform" on 12-14 November 2018, in Khartoum, Sudan.

SESRIC, in collaboration with the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and CDC Foundation organised the Workshop on ‘Transforming Tobacco Questions for Surveys (TQS) Data to Action’ on 12-15 November 2018 in Ankara, Republic of Turkey.

SESRIC organised a Study Visit on 'Community Outreach through Social Media for National Statistics Offices' on 12-14 November 2018 in Putrajaya, Malaysia within the framework of OIC Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme. The Department of Statistics (DoS) of Malaysia hosted the study visit for the benefit of two delegates from the Central Statistical Organization (CSO) of the Republic of Iraq.

SESRIC organised a Study Visit on 'Education Statistics' on 12-14 November 2018 in Kampala, Uganda within the framework of OIC Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme. The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) hosted the study visit for the benefit of three delegates from the Office for National Statistics (INE) of Mozambique.

Within the framework of Occupational Safety and Health Capacity Building (OSHCaB) Programme of OIC Member States, SESRIC organised a training course on ‘Occupational Safety and Health’ in Ramallah, Palestine on 7–8 November, 2018.

SESRIC organised the Second Workshop on Technical and Vocational Education, and Training (TVET) in OIC Member States on 6-7 November 2018 in Ankara, Turkey.

SESRIC attended the 12^th Meeting of the COMCEC Trade Working Group, which was held on 6 November 2018 in Ankara, Turkey, under the theme: “Improving Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Programs in the OIC Member Countries”.

SESRIC attended the Sixth Meeting of the Total Official Support for Sustainable Development (TOSSD) Task Force which was organized by the Development Co-operation Directorate (DCD) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in collaboration with the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) on 5-8 November 2018 in Stockholm, Sweden.

The Ministry of Health of Turkey collaborated with SESRIC and the Turkish Society for Anesthesiology and Reanimation (TARD) for the organization of the “Anesthesia Training Course” that took place between 1 and 11 November 2018, in Ankara and Antalya, Turkey.

SESRIC organised the Study Visit on ‘Labour Statistics’ on 31 October - 02 November 2018 in Cairo, Egypt within the framework of OIC Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme. Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) of Egypt hosted the study visit with the participation of two statisticians from Libyan Bureau of Statistics and Census (LBSC).

The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), Statistics Division of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), and United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) jointly organized the Workshop on ‘Islamic Finance in the National Accounts’ between 31 October and 02 November 2018 in Ankara, Turkey. The workshop was hosted by SESRIC at its Headquarters in Ankara and was attended by experts who are directly involved in the compilation of Islamic finance statistics for the national accounts in their countries.

In accordance with its 2018 Annual Work Plan and within the framework of Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised the Technical Mission on ‘Business Censuses and Registers’ to the Department of Economic Planning and Development (JPKE) of Brunei Darussalam on 29-31 October 2018.

SESRIC attended the 11^th Meeting of the COMCEC Financial Cooperation Working Group held on 25 October 2018 in Ankara, Turkey, under the theme “Islamic Fund Management”. Eighteen OIC member States, 37 Representatives from Ministries of Finance, Economy and Treasury, Central Banks and Monetary Authorities, Capital Market Authorities as well as international organizations and private sector, attended the meeting.

International Labour Office (ILO) organized the “Third Meeting of the Multi-Stakeholder Partnership for Social Protection Systems and Floors’’ on 24 October 2018, in Geneva, Switzerland.

In accordance with its 2018 Annual Work Plan and within the framework of Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised the Statistics Course on ‘Economic Accounts’ at the Department of Statistics (DoS) of Malaysia on 23-25 October 2018.

The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), in cooperation with the Federation of the Universities in the Islamic World (FUMI), organized an Expert Meeting on ‘’The Implementation of the Performance Measurement Mechanism for the Universities of the Islamic World’’ on 23-24 October 2018 at ISESCO Headquarters in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco.

SESRIC participated in the special session on “Capacity development - Coordination, harmonisation and innovative approaches to capacity building from a partner and a donor perspective” as one of the panelists on 22 October 2018 in Dubai, UAE. The panel was organised under the main theme “New approaches to capacity development for better data: Supporting broad data ecosystems in countries” allocated within the programme of United Nations World Data Forum 2018.

The Third Dialogue Meeting of the OIC Member Countries Technical Cooperation Agencies (TCA) was held on 18-19 October 2018, in Bali, Indonesia.

SESRIC organized a Study Visit on ‘International Trade and Balance of Payments' on 17-19 October 2018 in Baku Republic of Azerbaijan within the framework of OIC Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme. The State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan hosted the study visit for the benefit of two delegates from the Agency on Statistics under President of the Republic of Tajikistan.

SESRIC and ISESCO jointly organized a “Workshop on The Role of Crafts in Developing Community-based Economics in the Member States” between 16 and 18 October 2018, in Ankara, Turkey.

The OIC Intern Program held a certificate ceremony for the first group of interns on 12 October 2018, at Grand Sheraton, in the historical city of Istanbul, Turkey. Three Hundred OIC interns from different universities from around Turkey, together with presidents and executive staff of program partners, leading companies and institutions, university rectors, as well as NGO managers attended the ceremony.

SESRIC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre for Labour and Social Security, Training and Research of Turkey (ÇASGEM) to further enhance collaboration between the two institutions in the areas of common interest.

The 12^th Meeting of the COMCEC Transport and Communications was held on 11 October 2018 in Ankara, Turkey, under the theme: “Planning of National Transport Infrastructure in the OIC Member States”.

The International Labour Organization (ILO), a specialized agency of the United Nations, organized the 20^th International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS) on 10 - 19 October 2018 at the ILO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

SESRIC organised a Study Visit on ‘Income and Consumption Statistics’ on 8-10 October 2018 in Tunis, Tunisia within the framework of OIC Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme. National Institute of Statistics (INS) of Tunisia hosted the study visit with the participation of two statisticians from Department of Statistics (DOS) of Jordan.

The Central Bank of Republic of Turkey (CBRT) organised a Statistical Seminar on “Survey Design and Implementation” on 8 - 12 October 2018 in Istanbul.

SESRIC attended the 12^th Meeting of the COMCEC Poverty Alleviation held on 4 October 2018 in Ankara, Turkey, held under the theme “Skills Development in the OIC Member Countries: Vocational Education”.

A major consultative workshop was held, in Istanbul, on Wednesday, on IsDB’s policy of engagement with the civil society organizations (CSOs) in different member countries.

SESRIC and the Research Center for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA), held a reception in Ankara on the 49t^h anniversary of the establishment of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

SESRIC organised the Study Visit on ‘Classifications’ on 02-04 October 2018 in Amman, Jordan within the framework of OIC Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme. Department of Statistics (DOS) of Jordan hosted the study visit with the participation of two statisticians of General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) of Saudi Arabia.

More than a hundred experts from 20 different countries, convened in the city of Istanbul for a two-day workshop which aimed to promote dialogue and build further capacity for enhancing ‘response’ and ‘resilience’ to humanitarian crises in the 57-member nation block.

SESRIC, the Ministry of Health of Turkey and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), jointly organized a training of trainers course on 'Disaster and Prehospital Medicine' for 30 selected experts from the Ministry of Health of Sudan. The training was scheduled for 1-11 October 2018 and took place at the International Urla Emergency Disaster Training and Simulation Centre in İzmir, Turkey.

SESRIC participated in the Second Workshop on Modernization of Official Statistics in the State of Qatar organised by the Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics (MDPS) in Doha, Qatar on 25-26 September 2018.

In accordance with its 2018 Annual Work Plan and within the framework of Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised the Statistics Course on ‘Dissemination and Data Warehousing’ at the Central Statistical Organization (CSO) of Republic of Iraq on 25-27 September 2018.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) hosted the Thirty-Second Session of the Committee for the Coordination of Statistical Activities (CCSA) in Vienna, Austria on 25-26 September 2018. Dr. Atilla KARAMAN, Acting Director of Statistics and Information Department of SESRIC represented the Centre thereat.

SESRIC attended the 16^th Meeting of the Central Banks and Monetary Authorities of the OIC Member Countries hosted by the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey on 23-25 September 2018, in Antalya, Turkey.

The 12^th Meeting of the “COMCEC Agriculture Working Group” was held on 20 September 2018 in Ankara Turkey, under the theme “Analysis of Agri-food Trade Structures to Promote Agri-food Trade Networks among the OIC Member Countries”.

In accordance with its 2018 Annual Work Plan and within the framework of Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised the Study Visit on ‘Metadata’ for the benefit of the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) on 16-18 September 2018. The Study Visit was hosted by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) of Arab Republic of Egypt.

SESRIC, in technical cooperation with the Africa City of Technology Sudan, organized an Expert Group Meeting on Digital Transformation on 11-12 September 2018 at SESRIC HQ in Ankara, Turkey.

SESRIC attended the International Development Forum on “SME Finance and Development in the Age of Digitalization” held on 11-12 September 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey, and presented a paper on the “SME and Women Entrepreneurship in OIC Countries”. The Forum was organised by the Association of National Development Finance Institutions in Member Countries of the Islamic Development Bank (ADFIMI), an international organisation based in Istanbul.

SESRIC has become a member of the Expert Group on Refugee and Internally Displaced Persons Statistics (EGRIS) on 4 September 2018.

In accordance with its 2018 Annual Work Plan and within the framework of Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised the Technical Mission on ‘Labour Statistics’ to the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) of Egypt on 4-6 September 2018.

International Summer School and Workshop on “Applied Industrial Policy (& Beyond): Theory, Empirics and Instruments for Effective Policy Design” was organized in collaboration with SESRIC, the Center for Industrial Policy and Development of Istanbul Commerce University, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) on 04-05 September 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. The program was attended by 39 participants of whom 30 of them were from OIC Member Countries.

In accordance with its 2018 Annual Work Plan and within the framework of Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised the Statistics Course on ‘Analytical and Critical Thinking’ at the Institute of Statistics (INSTAT) of Republic of Albania on 3-4 September 2018.

In accordance with its 2018 Annual Work Plan and within the framework of Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised the Statistics Course on ‘Analytical and Critical Thinking’ at the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) on 03-04 September 2018.

Three Syrian doctors have benefited from a “GIT training course on ERCP technique” organised by SESRIC between 03 September and 28 December 2018 at the Ankara Education and Research Hospital in the capital of Turkey, Ankara.

SESRIC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UNDP Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development (IICPSD) to collaborate on increasing job and livelihood opportunities for the disadvantaged, including migrants and refugees, in the OIC member states through leveraging the role of markets and the private sector in skills development.

The First Executive Committee Meeting of the OIC International Internship Program (OIC INTERN) was held on 16 August 2018 in Ankara at the Headquarters of the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB).

SESRIC, the Ministry of Health of Republic of Turkey, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and the Ministry of Health of Sudan, jointly organised a training course on “ Disaster and Emergency Interventions” on 12-16 August 2018 in Khartoum, Sudan.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between SESRIC and MARKA (East Marmara Development Agency of Turkey) on 09 August 2018 in Kocaeli, Turkey to further enhance collaboration between the two institutions in the areas of economy, trade and development of human capital.

In accordance with its 2018 Annual Work Plan and within the framework of Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised the Statistics Course on ‘Examination of International Education Reports and Monitoring of Educational Indicators’’ at the Turkish Maarif Foundation (TMF) in Istanbul on 06 August 2018. The statistics course was organized as a part of the ‘Specialist Assistant Training Programme’ of the TMF being held between 21 May and 8 October of 2018. The Statistics Course was conducted by Mr. Davron ISHNAZAROV of the Statistics and Information Department of SESRIC.

The first graduates of the OIC Intern Program came together in a meeting hosted by the OIC Intern Office in Istanbul.

A high-level regional seminar on promoting cancer awareness and advocacy programmes in the OIC African Member States took place in Ouagadougou Burkina Faso, on 1-2 August 2018. The Seminar was organised under the patronage of the First Lady of Burkina Faso, H.E. Madam Sika Kabore.

The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Standards and Metrology Institute for the Islamic Countries (SMIIC) to further accelerate collaboration between two institutions in the area of common interest. The MoU was signed by H.E. Ambassador Musa Kulaklıkaya, Director General of SESRIC, and H.E. Mr. İhsan Övüt, Secretary General of SMIIC, on 27 July 2018 at SESRIC Headquarters in Ankara.

In accordance with its 2018 Annual Work Plan and within the framework of Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised the Study Visit on ‘Understanding the Business of Statistics and Project Management’ for the benefit of the Institute of Statistics (INSTAT) of Republic of Albania on 26 – 27 July 2018. The Study Visit was hosted by the BPS-Statistics Indonesia.

SESRIC, the Ministry of Health of Republic of Turkey, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and the Ministry of Health of Sudan, jointly organised a training course on “Disaster and Prehospital Medicine” on 15-19 July 2018 in Khartoum, Sudan.

SESRIC organised a training programme on Muslim Friendly Tourism (MFT) under the theme “Improving Islamic Tourism Ecosystem in OIC Member Countries: Destination and Industry Development”. The training took place in the historical city of Malatya, Turkey on 09-12 July 2018.

The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the High Commission for Planning (HCP) of Kingdom of Morocco to further strengthen collaboration and cooperation between two institutions in the area of statistics.

The 14^th Session of UN-OIC Coordination Meeting was held at the ISESCO Headquarters on 03-05 July 2018 in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco. The biannual regular meeting evaluated the progress of joint cooperation activities in order to set directions, make assessments, evaluate prospects and provide a follow-up for collaboration between the two major international organizations and it was attended by high level delegations from both the OIC General Secretariat and relevant institutions of the OIC and the UN.

SESRIC, United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) jointly organised the 4^th Regional Networking Forum for the Arab States, Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) on South-South and Triangular Cooperation. The forum took place on 28 June 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey and hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey. Fifty participants from different countries and various organisations attended the event.

A Statement of Intent (SoI) was signed between SESRIC, United Nations Development Programme Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development (UNDP IICPSD) and United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) on 28 June 2018 in Istanbul.

SESRIC and UNDP Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development (IICPSD) launched a joint publication on “Best Practices Guidelines and Toolkit on Engaging the Private Sector in Skills Development” on the sidelines of the Fourth Regional Networking Forum on South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SS&TC) on 28 June 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey.

SESRIC, in collaboration with the Universal Postal Union (UPU) and La Poste Tunisienne, organized a Workshop on Digital Transformation and Diversification of Postal Services on 26-28 June 2018, in Tunis, Tunisia.

SESRIC, in collaboration with the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) and the University of Jordan, organized a 2-day Regional Seminar on Innovative Technologies in Water Sector for the achievement of the SDG 6 on 26-28 June 2018 in Amman, Jordan. Researchers and experts from 15 OIC Member States, namely, Egypt, Iran, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Sudan, Tunisia, Turkey and Uzbekistan attended the Seminar.

SESRIC and the Ministry of Health of Turkey organised a 3-week training programme on Intensive Care & Infection Control between 25 June and 13 July 2018 in Ankara, Turkey. The training was organised within the framework of the OIC Strategic Health Programme of Action (OIC-SHPA) 2014-2023, under Thematic Area 1: “Health System Strengthening”.

Though it is observed by the international community, Israeli occupation settlers have increased their activities to take control of Palestinian properties within neighbourhoods of East Jerusalem (Al-Quds) and West Bank. These illegal efforts have led to restrictions on residential rights and freedom of movement for Palestinians. Settler occupation of the Palestinian properties worsens the current environment facing Palestinians and increases the risk of displacement. As stated by UN Security Council resolutions, all legislative and administrative measures taken by Israeli occupation to alter the character and status of Al-Quds are invalid and cannot change the status. (See; inter alia, UN Security Council resolutions 252, 267, 471, 476 and 478.)

A training on “South-South & Triangular Cooperation in Implementing the 2030 Agenda: Youth4South Edition” was organised in cooperation with SESRIC, United Nation Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), Islamic Development Bank (IDB), United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA), China Institute for South-South Cooperation in Agriculture (CISSCA) and the United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC) in Istanbul, Turkey on 20-22 June 2018.

SESRIC organized the First Meeting of Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) of the Capacity Development Project on “Improving Occupational Safety and Health in Mauritania” in partnership with Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) and the General Directorate of Occupational Health and Safety of Turkey, hosted by the National Office of Occupational Medicine of Mauritania (ONMT) on 18-20 June 2018 in Nouakchott, Mauritania.

The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), a subsidiary organ of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) – the world’s second largest intra-governmental organisation – celebrated its 40th Anniversary this Friday with an Iftar Programme organised for the occasion.

HE Amb. Musa Kulaklıkaya delivered a welcoming speech at the Iftar Programme organized on the occasion of the 40th Anniversary of SESRIC.

HE Amb. Musa Kulaklıkaya, Director General of SESRIC, delivered a presentation on the “Global Muslim Diaspora Project” at the European External Action Service (EEAS) Headquarters in Brussels. Amb. Kulaklıkaya was in Brussels on a working visit to attend the Fourth Meeting of the Total Official Support for Sustainable Development (TOSSD) Task Force, held between 29-31 May 2018.

The Fourth Meeting of the Total Official Support for Sustainable Development (TOSSD) Task Force was organized by the Development Co-operation Directorate (DCD) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in collaboration with the European Union (EU) on 29-31 May 2018 in Brussels, Belgium. At the Meeting, SESRIC was represented by HE Amb. Musa Kulaklıkaya, Director General, and Dr. Atilla Karaman, Researcher.

Despite the displacement of more than 800,000 Palestinians in 1948 and more than 200,000 Palestinians to Jordan and other countries after the 1967 war, the 2017 Population, Housing and Establishments Census showed that the Palestinian population in the State of Palestine at the end of 2017 was recorded as 4.8 million, both in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, in addition to 1.56 million in the occupied territories in 1948.

The Extraordinary OIC Summit held on Friday in Istanbul convened by the President of Turkey, HE Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in response to latest developments in the State of Palestine and the illegal relocation of the U.S. Embassy to Al-Quds al-Sharif, was concluded with a historical communique by the heads of Member States of the OIC.

The UN’s human rights body, UNCHR, has voted on Friday to send a team of international war crimes investigators to probe the killing of protesters in Gaza by the Israeli forces.

The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) and the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) jointly organised a Workshop on "Muslim Diaspora: Prospects and Challenges for Global Peace and Prosperity" on 12-13 May 2018, in the historical city of Istanbul, Turkey.

The Workshop of the OIC Center of Excellence (CoE) on Vaccines and Biotechnology Products’ Way Forward took place at the Borobudur Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia on 14 May 2018.

The 34^th Meeting of the Follow-up Committee of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC) was held on 09-10 May 2018 in Ankara, Turkey, with the participation of the OIC Member States and relevant OIC institutions.

SESRIC organized a 3-day training course on “Development of Sustainable Transgenic Technology, Commercialization and Post-release Monitoring” within the framework of the OIC Cotton Training Programme (OIC-CTP) in Ankara, Turkey, on 08-10 May 2018.

In accordance with its 2018 Annual Work Plan and within the framework of Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised the Study Visit on ‘Metadata’ to Jordan for the benefit of the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) of Saudi Arabia on 7-9 May 2018. The study visit was hosted by the Department of Statistics (DOS) of Jordan with the participation of Mr. Khaled FAQIHI, Expert on Statistical Methodologies at GASTAT of Saudi Arabia.

SESRIC chaired a panel session on “OSH Regional Cooperation and Networks” that took place during the 9^th International Conference on Occupational Health and Safety, which was organized by the Directorate General of Occupational Health and Safety (DGOHS) of Ministry of Labour and Social Security of Republic of Turkey on the theme of “Coordination and Cooperation in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH)” on 6-9 May 2018 in Istanbul, Republic of Turkey.

The Seventh Session of the Statistical Commission of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC-StatCom) was organised by SESRIC in collaboration with the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) on 2-3 May 2018 in Ankara, Republic of Turkey with the participation of 69 delegates from the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) of 31 OIC countries, including Albania, Azerbaijan, Benin, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, Gambia, Guinea, Indonesia, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, Uganda and Uzbekistan and regional and international organizations including SESRIC, IDB, Sub-Saharan African Organisation for the Development of Economic Studies and Statistics Systems (AFRISTAT), Arab Institute for Training and Research in Statistics (AITRS), Statistical Centre for the Cooperation Council for the Arab Countries of the Gulf (GCC-STAT), International Organization for Migration (IOM), Partnership in Statistics for Development in the 21st Century (PARIS21), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD).

SESRIC, the Ministry of Health of Turkey and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), jointly organised a training of trainers course on “Disaster and Prehospital Medicine Training of Trainers” for the benefit of 30 selected experts devided on two groups from the Ministry of Health of Sudan. The training took place on 2-11 May 2018 at the International Urla Emergency Disaster Training and Simulation Centre in Izmir, Turkey and was preceded by 3 candidates’ selection trainings in Sudan.

Within the framework of “BINA Program”, SESRIC is arranging a study visit in coordination with the administration of the Libyan Program for Reintegration and Development (LPRD). In line with the large diverse scope that LPRDs activities and programs cover and the essential role required from it in contributing to the development of state and society, the study visit is organized in order to provide a deep insight on the Turkish development experience through direct interaction with a number of influential public institutes in different sectors with the aim of gaining an inclusive understanding of the strategies, methodologies and techniques that were fundamental in making sustainable development successes.

The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Arab Institute for Training and Research in Statistics (AITRS) to initiate and facilitate collaboration and cooperation between two institutions in the area of statistics. 

The Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugee (UNHCR) organized a joint workshop to raise awareness of the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) on 29-30 April 2018 in the Jordanian city of the Dead Sea.

Within the framework of the OIC International Internship Program (OIC Intern), candidate interns met with their mentors to introduce each other and get early advice before starting their internship in companies or institutions.

SESRIC attended the Second Working Group Meeting on Boosting Private Sector and Entrepreneurship Policies in Afghanistan that took place in Istanbul, Turkey from 26–27 April 2018. The meeting was organized by The Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OEDC) in Collaboration with the European Union (EU).

The OIC General Secretariat, in cooperation with SESRIC, organized a Workshop on “Improving the State of Elderly in OIC Member States” on 24-25 April 2018 at the OIC General Secretariat Headquarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The workshop was attended by experts from the Member States as well as relevant OIC institutions and international organizations and aimed to effectively identify common trends on population ageing and inquire key challenges faced by elderly people in OIC Member States in a more systematic and coordinated way.

SESRIC signed a Partnership Agreement with the Governorship of Malatya of Turkey for the implementation of a training programme and a study visit under the Project “Improving Islamic Tourism Ecosystem in OIC Member Countries: Destination and Industry Development” to be held on 9-12 July 2018 in Malatya, Turkey.

In accordance with its 2018 Annual Work Plan and within the framework of Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised the Statistics Course on ‘Gender Statistics’ at National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) of Maldives on 23 –25 April 2018.

SESRIC attended the Training Program on Technology, Entrepreneurship, Advocacy and Management of Business Incubation and Technology Parks that took place on 23–25 April in Istanbul, Turkey. The training was organized by The Islamic Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (ICCIA) in collaboration with The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchange of Turkey (TOBB) and was funded by the Perez-Guerrero Trust Fund for South-South Cooperation (PGTF).

SESRIC, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health of Turkey, organised a workshop on the “Integration of the Traditional and Complementary Medicine Practices into the Health Systems and Health Services” on 18 April 2018, in the historical city of Istanbul, Turkey.

The 4^th Islamic Conference of Youth and Sports Ministers (ICYSM) was held in Baku, Azerbaijan during the period 17-19 April 2018, under the theme “Solidarity in Action for Youth Development”. The conference was organised by the Ministry of Youth and Sport of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Secretariat of the Conference, comprising of the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation (ISSF – on sports issues) and Islamic Conference Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation (ICYF-DC – on youth issues) in coordination with the General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Within the framework of the OIC International Internship Program (OIC Intern), an orientation training programme was held on 12 April 2018, in Ankara, Turkey. More than 100 international students from OIC member countries studying in Turkish universities participated in the programme.

SESRIC, organised in collaboration with the Directorate General of Occupational Health and Safety (DGOHS) of Ministry of Labour and Social Security of Republic of Turkey, and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), a state-run development agency, a “Preparatory Senior Experts Meeting for the 4^th Meeting of the OIC Occupational Safety and Health Network (OIC-OSHNET)” on 11-13 April 2018 in Ankara, Turkey.

SESRIC and the Agency for Technical Assistance and Cooperation in Tunisia (ATCT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to initiate and facilitate collaboration between both organisations in matters of mutual interest and to establish necessary modalities for their implementation.

SESRIC, in collaboration with the Universal Postal Union (UPU) and La Poste Tunisienne, organized a workshop on the “Operational readiness for e-commerce project: quality of service fund and remuneration for the Arab region” on 2-6 April 2018, in Tunis, Tunisia.

A delegation from the Ministry of Higher Education of Sudan attended a 5-day study visit in Ankara and Istanbul, Turkey, between 28 March – 03 April 2018, in a visit organised by SESRIC in collaboration with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Industry of Turkey and the management of five Science and Technology Parks (STPs).

Under the auspices of H.E. President of the State of Palestine, Mahmoud ABBAS, Announcement Conference of the Preliminary Results of the Population, Housing and Establishments Census 2017 was held on 28 March 2018 at Muqata’a, the Presidential Headquarters in Ramallah, State of Palestine.

In accordance with its 2018 Annual Work Plan and within the framework of Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised the Statistics Course on ‘Infographics’ at Kuwait Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) on 27-28 March 2018.

In accordance with its 2018 Annual Work Plan and within the framework of Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised the Statistics Course on ‘Data Analysis’ at National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) of Maldives on 25 – 27 March 2018. 

In accordance with its 2018 Annual Work Plan and within the framework of Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised the Statistics Course on ‘International Trade Statistics' at Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) of Sudan on 18-20 March 2018.

In accordance with its 2018 Annual Work Plan and within the framework of Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised the Statistics Course on ‘Income and Consumption Statistics’ at the Department of Statistics (DoS) of Malaysia on 20-22 March 2018.

In accordance with its 2018 Annual Work Plan and within the framework of Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised the Statistics Course on ‘Income and Consumption Statistics’ at the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Analysis (INSAE) of Benin on 20 –22 March 2018.

SESRIC attended the coordination meeting of the Alliance for Fighting Avoidable Blindness (AFAB) organised by the Islamic Solidarity Fund on 19-20 March 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey.

SESRIC, in its capacity as the Secretariat of the OIC Statistical Commission (OIC-StatCom), organised the annual Meeting with the Delegates of National Statistical Offices of OIC Member Countries on 8 March 2018 as a side event meeting of the 49th Session of the United Nations Statistical Commission in New York, USA.

The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) participated in the First Meeting of the Global Network of Institutions for Statistical Training (GIST) organised by the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) in United Nations Headquarters, New York, USA on 8 March 2018.

The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) participated in the Symposium on “South-South Cooperation: trends and challenges ahead of the BAPA+40 Conference”, jointly organized by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC) on 8-9 March 2018 in Brasilia, Brazil.

In accordance with its 2018 Annual Work Plan and within the framework of Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised the Statistics Course on 'Sustainable Development Statistics' at National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) of Oman on 6 – 8 March 2018.

The Thirty-First Session of the Committee for the Coordination of Statistical Activities (CCSA) was held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on 5 March 2018. Dr. Atilla KARAMAN, Researcher, and Ms. Nenden Octavarulia SHANTY, Researcher, represented the Centre thereat.

SESRIC organised a training course on “Genotyping by Sequencing Analysis” within the framework of OIC Cotton Training Programme (OIC-CTP) on 05- 07 March 2018, in Bursa, Turkey. The training course was provided by experts from Horticulture Department of Uludag University in Turkey for the experts from Agrarian Science and Information Advisory Center of Azerbaijan and Genetic Resources Institute of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences.

SESRIC organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Health of Turkey and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) a training course on Emergency and Disaster Medical Services for the benefit of 39 experts divided on two groups from the Ministry of Health of Sudan on 4-8 March 2018 in Khartoum, Sudan.

A delegation from the Palestinian International Cooperation Agency (PICA), an agency operating under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Palestine, attended a study visit in Ankara, Turkey, between 26-27 February 2018. The visit was organised by SESRIC and aimed at exploring the potential for better coordination and cooperation between SESRIC and PICA as well as to forge the partnership with Turkish institutions to better address and respond to challenges of developments in Palestine.

SESRIC launched the OIC Labour Market Report 2017 during the 4th Islamic Conference of Labour Ministers, which was held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia during 21-22 February 2018.  The main highlights of the report were presented by HE Amb. Musa Kulaklıkaya, Director General of SESRIC, during the conference.

SESRIC launched the State of Children in OIC Countries report during the 5th Islamic Conference of Ministers in Charge of Childhood, held in Rabat, Morocco on 21-22 February 2018, under the theme: “Towards a Safe Childhood”.

The 4^th Session of The Islamic Conference of Labor Ministers was held with the participation of ministers and senior ministry officials from 56 countries of the OIC in the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

SESRIC and the OIC Broadcasting Regulatory Authorities Forum organised a joint workshop on “Rapidly Changing Technologies and Legislative Alignment” on the sideline of the 6th Annual Meeting of the OIC Broadcasting Regulatory Authorities Forum (IBRAF), which took place on 19-20 February 2018, in the city of Cotonou, Benin.

SESRIC project on “Improving Islamic Tourism Ecosystem in OIC Member Countries: Destination and Industry Development” has been selected for funding by The Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC), within the 2018 Implementation Period of COMCEC Project Funding.

In accordance with its 2017 Annual Work Plan and within the framework of Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised the Study Visit on ‘Education Statistics’ to Indonesia for the benefit of the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) on 13-14 February 2018. The study visit was hosted by the BPS-Statistics Indonesia.

In accordance with its 2018 Annual Work Plan and within the framework of Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised the Statistics Course on 'Data Analysis' at National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) of the Sultanate of Oman on 13-15 February 2018.

SESRIC and Islamic Development Bank Group Regional Hub in Turkey jointly organized a workshop to introduce the recently launched “Engage Platform” and “Transform Fund” on 13 February 2018 at SESRIC Headquarters in Ankara, Turkey. The workshop was attended by the Embassies of the OIC member states, international agencies, and UN Agencies working in Turkey.

In accordance with its 2018 Annual Work Plan and within the framework of Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised the Study Visit on ‘Metadata’ to Turkey for the benefit of the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) of Sultanate of Oman on 7-8 February 2018. The study visit was hosted by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) of Republic of Turkey.

The Workshop on Sound Institutional Environment, Cooperation, Dialogue and Partnerships for the Production and Utilization of SDG Indicators organised by the United Nations Economic and Social Council for Western Asia (UNESCWA) in collaboration with the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) and hosted by Statistics Tunisia on 6-8 February 2018 in Tunis, Tunisa. Dr. Atilla KARAMAN, Researcher, represented the SESRIC thereat.

In accordance with its 2018 Annual Work Plan and within the framework of Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised the Statistics Course on ‘Labour Statistics’ at National Statistical Office (ONS) of Islamic Republic Mauritania on 6-8 February 2018.

SESRIC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the General Directorate of Higher Education Credit and Hostels Institution (KYK) in Turkey to enhance the cooperation in matters of common interest and to strengthen the social and cultural interaction among international students from OIC Member Countries studying in Turkey. 

In accordance with its 2018 Annual Work Plan and within the framework of Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised the Statistics Course on ‘Energy Statistics’ at State Statistical Committee (SSC) of the Republic of Azerbaijan on 5-7 February 2018.

SESRIC launched the “International Tourism in the OIC Countries: Prospects and Challenges 2017” report during the 10th Session of Islamic Conference of Tourism Ministers (ICTM), held on 5-7 February 2018, in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

SESRIC, a subsidiary organ of the OIC, and the Turkish Red Crescent Society, the largest humanitarian organisation in Turkey and a member of the International Red Cross, announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance the capacity of the humanitarian organisations and to alleviate poverty in the OIC countries through joint initiatives and development projects.

In accordance with its 2017 Annual Work Plan and within the framework of Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised the Study Visit on ‘Population and Migration Statistics’ to Malaysia for the benefit of the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) of Saudi Arabia on 29-30 January 2018. The study visit was hosted by the Department of Statistics (DOS) Malaysia with the participation of senior officials of GASTAT of Saudi Arabia.

In accordance with its 2018 Annual Work Plan and within the framework of Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised the Statistics Course on 'Data Analysis' at General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on 28-30 January 2018.

The Third Meeting of the Total Official Support for Sustainable Development (TOSSD) Task Force was organized by the Development Co-operation Directorate (DCD) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in collaboration with the Global Affairs Canada on 24-25 January 2018 in Ottawa, Canada. SESRIC was represented thereat by Dr. Atilla KARAMAN, Researcher.

Within the framework of the OIC International Internship Program (OIC Intern), a training course was provided for the first group of mentors, who are young professional volunteers willing to share their working and business experience with student interns.

In accordance with its 2017 Annual Work Plan and within the framework of Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised the Study Visit on ‘Labour Statistics’ to Brunei Darussalam for the benefit of the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) on 23-24 January 2018. The study visit was hosted by the Department of Economic Planning and Development (JPKE) of Brunei Darussalam with the participation of senior officials of GASTAT of Saudi Arabia.

SESRIC and Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) signed a Memorandum of Understating (MoU) aiming to boost cooperation between the two institutions on 16 January 2018 in Tehran in the fields of training, data collection and analysis, development and the dissemination of knowledge.

SESRIC has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Islamic Chamber Research and Information Centre (ICRIC) on 16 January 2018 in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran to reinforce their collaborative efforts and commitments towards organizing joint research, training and consultation for the development of OIC Member Countries.

SESRIC attended the 13th Session of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States (PUIC) Conference which was held on 13-17 January 2018 in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. The PUIC conference provides a framework for comprehensive and fruitful cooperation and coordination among the parliaments of the OIC countries by exchanging parliamentary experience, discussing economic, cultural, social and political issues of interest to the OIC countries, and addressing grave challenges and attempts to impose cultural, political and economic domination, and adopting appropriate recommendations and decisions on such issue. 

In accordance with its 2017 Annual Work Plan and within the framework of Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, SESRIC organised the Technical Mission on ‘Labour Statistics’ to Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) of Republic of the Sudan on 14-16 January 2018. 

SESRIC organized in collaboration with the Representative Office of OIC in the State of Palestine and Al Huda Center of Islamic Banking and Economics a training course on “Islamic Microfiance” on 8-9 January 2018 in Ramallah, Palestine.