Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
The Collective Voice of The Muslim World
Date: 14/11/2007
Istanbul, 12-13 November 2007 The Forum on Enhancement and Promotion of Trade and Investment in Cotton Sector among the OIC Member Countries was organized by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Republic of Turkey in collaboration with the OIC General Secretariat and held in Istanbul on 12-13 November 2007. The Forum was addressed at the opening ceremony by H.E. Zafer CAGLAYAN, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Republic of Turkey and Ambassador Nabika Diallo, the Advisor to the OIC Secretary General for Economic Affairs who delivered the Message of H.E. Professor Ekmeleddin IHSANOGLU. In his Message, the Secretary General mentioned that this cotton forum will look into all the challenges facing the member countries in cotton sector and evolve ways and means to allow for an optimal development of this important sector in the OIC Member States. He stated that the General Secretariat of the OIC will follow up all implementation of decisions adopted by various meetings in this domain and liaise with the international and regional organization concerned with the issue of cotton in order to held achieve our objectives in this domain. The Forum was attended by 21 cotton producing OIC Member States, representatives of 46 private companies and 17 Chambers of Trade and Exchange in Turkey and representatives of 20 private companies from other member countries. The Forum was also attended by 14 institutions including concerned OIC institutions and some other international organizations. The participants discussed, in addition to the problems facing the OIC cotton producing and exporting countries, various aspects related to enhancing cooperation among them in different areas related to cotton sector such as investment, trade, increasing cotton productivity, standards and research of cotton, organic cotton, etc. The Forum includes several bilateral meetings on enhancing cooperation in cotton investment among the major cotton producing countries with the participation of the representatives of the private companies in these countries. The Forum achieved good success and will contribute to improve the cotton and textile sectors in OIC member States, which will contribute improving living condition of populations involved in cotton production and textile industry in OIC Member States.
