Arab News

JEDDAH: The secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Hissein Brahim Taha, emphasized the importance of coordinated and inclusive economic recovery strategies in member states amid the ongoing social and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the damage from international conflicts.

Taha was speaking at the opening session of the 47th annual meeting of the Islamic Development Bank Group, which is being held in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh until June 4.

Drawing on the experiences of the OIC and its relevant institutions, including the IDB Group, in supporting national development efforts, Taha called for enhanced cooperation to ensure inclusive and resilient economic recovery of OIC member states.

He highlighted the need to support the most affected and vulnerable parts of society, increase support for the 22 least-developed OIC member states, boost the capacity in some selected OIC member states to produce vaccines, and develop a program to support rural farmers, who grow the bulk of the food in most OIC member states.

In the face of a looming global food crisis, the secretary-general urged member states to implement the OIC decisions on establishing food reserves and rolling out OIC programs on strategic food commodities such as wheat, rice, and cassava.

Taha drew attention to the need to mobilize additional funds for the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development to fund its expansion of activities for alleviating poverty and improving social services and infrastructures in OIC member states.