COMCEC Poverty Outlook 2016:

Human Development in OIC

OIC Cotton Programme

The OIC Cotton Programme has been initiated in 2005 with the aim of enhancing trade,

investment and technology transfer in/among cotton producing Member States, particularly in

Africa. Accordingly, the OIC Five-Year Cotton Action Plan (2007-2011) was prepared and it

was endorsed by the 22nd Session of the COMCEC. The period of the Plan was extended for a

further five years (2012-2016) by the 26th Session of the COMCEC.

Under the Cotton Action Plan, the Project and Steering Committees were formed. The IDB was

designated as the Chairman of the former while the Ministry of Customs and Trade of Turkey

of the latter. Six Steering Committee and six Project Committee meetings have been held so far.

The 6th Steering Committee Meeting was held on November 3rd, 2015 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

So far, eight projects have been approved to be financed by the IDB. Four of the projects were

implemented and Cameroon’s three projects are being implemented. The total budget of these

projects accounted for approximately USD 17 million. In addition, 14 different project

proposals were submitted to the IDB for funding; however these proposals did not meet the

eligibility criteria. Afterwards, 5th Project Committee assigned SESRIC to review and combine

these proposals into one technical assistance and capacity building project, and to submit this

combined project to the IDB for Funding. The 30th Session of the COMCEC took note of the

report of the 5th Project Committee Meeting and requested SESRIC to combine 14 projects into

one capacity building project and to submit it to the IDB for funding. Accordingly SESRIC

submitted a capacity building project proposal, which combines 14 cotton projects into one

project, to the IDB Group in January 2015.

The 31st Session of the COMCEC, while appreciating the positive interest of the IDB for the OIC

Cotton Plan of Action, requested the IDB to finalize its consideration for the funding of the

capacity building project, submitted to the IDB by SESRIC in accordance with the relevant

resolution of the 30th Session of COMCEC.

Seventh OIC Ministerial Conference on Food Security and Agricultural Development, which

was held in Astana, Republic of Kazakhstan between 26-28 April 2016, call on the concerned

Member States to resubmit their respective cotton projects in a comprehensive bankable

format, approved under the OIC Cotton Action Plan, and to show considerable interest in the

new projects being identified to enhance cooperation in this vital economic sector.

Vocational Education and Training Programme

Vocational education and training issues have significance impacts on enhancing the

productive capacity of the poor. In this respect, a programme on vocational education and

training was initiated by the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for

Islamic Countries (SESRIC) in 2009. The main target of this Programme (OIC-VET) is to

improve the quality of vocational education and training in the public and private sectors, and

to enhance the opportunities for the people in the Member Countries.

Main objectives of OIC-VET are;

to provide the exchange of people involved in VET throughout OIC Member Countries,

so as to increase placements in enterprises.

to enhance the quality and innovation capacity of Member Countries' vocational

training systems, and to facilitate the transfer of innovative practices from one country

to another.