The COMCEC Economic Summit, which was held in Istanbul in November 2009 on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of the COMCEC emphasized the importance of cooperation in the area of transportation to increase intra-OIC trade and requested COMCEC to work on the revitalization of cooperation in this important sector. Accordingly, the Republic of Turkey offered to organize an Expert Group Meeting (EGM) on the subject with a view to exploring the possible modalities for cooperation in this important area. Meanwhile, the 26th Session of the COMCEC, which was held in Istanbul in October 2010, adopted the theme “The Impact of Transportation Networks on Trade and Tourism” as the theme for the Ministerial Exchange of Views Session at its 27th Session, which will be held in October 2011, and requested our the SESRIC, in collaboration with the IDB, the relevant OIC institutions and other related international organizations to organize a workshop on this theme and submit the outcomes to its 27th Session in October. Since the expected outcomes of these two events (the workshop and the EGM) are linked to each other, it has been decided to organize them consecutively and jointly by SESRIC, IDB and Ministry of Transport and Communication of the Republic of Turkey on 7-8 June 2011 and 9 June 2011, respectively in Izmir, Turkey. The common objective of both events is to identify and examine the common obstacles and challenges facing the OIC Member States in the area of transport and to propose possible ways and means of cooperation in this important field with a view to enhancing intra-OIC trade and tourism.

• Concept Note of the Workshop and the Expert Group Meeting
• Agenda & Work Programme for the Workshop
• Agenda & Work Programme for the Expert Group
• Information Booklet
• List of Participants in the Workshop
• List of Participants in the Expert Group Meeting

Documents:

• Report and Recommendations of the Workshop (English) (Arabic) (French)
• Report of the Expert Group Meeting (English) (Arabic) (French)
• Transport Cooperation Framework within the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC): “İzmir Document 2011” (English) (Arabic) (French)

Presentations:

Session 1:

• "Stock Taking Exercise: Trade Analysis, Physical Barriers, Non-Physical Barriers, Transportation Costs"

Session 2:

• "International Transport Corridors and Best Practices", Augustin Karanga, Principal Transport Economist, AfDB, Tunis
• "Asian Development Bank Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program", Dong-Soo Pyo, Lead Transport Specialist, Asian Development Bank
• "ECA Transport Corridors", UNECA
• "UNESCAP Experience on International Transport Corridors: Need for Balance of Developing Infrastructure and Transport Facilitation", Fedor V. Kormilitsyn, Economic Affairs Officer, UNESCAP
• International Road Transport Union, Talal Al-Wahaibi, Project Officer
• "Modernization of Border Gates", Sinem Şenkaya, Foreign Affairs Expert, GTI, Turkey
• "International Transport Networks and Transport Facilitation: The UNECE Experience", Michalis Adamantiadis, Chief, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)

Session 3:

• "Transport Corridors Connecting Africa, Asia and Europe through the Arab Region: Priority Corridors and Facilitation Mechanisms", Dr. NabilSafwat, ESCWA Special Advisor on Transport and Logistics Issues, UN ESCWA, Lebanon
• "Trade Facilitation Standards and Strategies", Tom Butterly, Chief, UNECE
• "Trade Facilitation in Asia and the Pacific: Escap Perspective", Dr. Yann Duval, UNESCAP
• "Trade & Transport Facilitation Policies", Mr. Cengiz Orun, Consultant, PGlobal, Turkey

Session 4:

• "Transport and Trade Facilitation Among OIC Member States: Current Status and Prospects", Mamoudou Bocar Sall, ICDT
• "Prioritization of Transport Corridors: Initial Prioritization, Rational for the Priority Corridors, Policy Recommendations"
• "International Tourism in the OIC Countries: Prospects and Challenges", SESRIC, Turkey

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