IOFS delegate attends Senior Officials Meeting of COMSEC General Assembly in Istanbul, Turkey

On 25 November, delegate of IOFS Mr. Nursalim Suleimenov attended the Senior Officials Meeting of COMCEC General Assembly held in Istanbul, Turkey. It is the preparatory SOM of Ministerial Session 35th SESSION OF THE COMCEC.

Apart from Report on the COMCEC Strategy and Its Implementation, there were interesting and fruitful debates on several important matters such as the Implementation of the OIC-2025: Programme of Action, World Economic Developments with Special Reference to the OIC Member Countries, Intra-OIC Trade, Enhancing the Role of Private Sector in Economic Cooperation, Improving Transport and Communications, Developing a Sustainable and Competitive Tourism Sector, Increasing Productivity of Agriculture Sector and Sustaining Food Security, Alleviating Poverty, Deepening Financial Cooperation, Exchange of Views on “Promoting Sustainable Food Systems in Islamic Countries”.

IOFS actively participated in matters of agricultural development and food security. Particularly, IOFS in its intervention informed distinguished delegates that IOFS participated in the proceedings of the 14th COMCEC Agriculture Working Group held in Ankara, Turkey on 9-10 October 2019. It is supportive of very valuable recommendations of the Working Group, including the need to support IOFS in its efforts towards realization of its core mandate on development of resilient food security systems in OIC member states. Accordingly, the policy recommendations on improvement of agricultural productivity, development of rural infrastructure, market performance and market access are very crucial to realization of our common food security objectives. In this regard, delegates were advised that IOFS is well prepared to assume its role in coordination of various OIC resolutions concerning food security, agriculture and rural development. In doing this, IOFS shall require the continued support of COMCEC and other OIC institutions towards the realization of an important mandate of ensuring food and nutrition security within the OIC community. It was manifested that the primary aim of IOFS is to partner with relevant OIC institutions on innovation, research and development activities in the food sector, while raising awareness on opportunities and challenges in the OIC region in food domain. Similarly, IOFS wishes to develop viable projects in order to address contemporary needs of our member states, including the implementation of policy recommendations of COMCEC. 

Mr. Chairman warmly welcomed IOFS as a new OIC-institution and hopes that IOFS could facilitate all activities regarding ensuring food security in OIC states. As outcome of the session IOFS recommended to insert wording “Strengthening IOFS to conduct research and development activities in food sector across the OIC and raise awareness of opportunities and challenges in the OIC regarding food. Encouraging IOFS to develop viable projects towards addressing the needs of the member countries and the implementation of the policy recommendations of the COMCEC”.