The Eighth Session of the Islamic Summit Conference (Session of Dignity, Dialogue, Participation), held in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran from 9-11 Sha’aban 1418H (9-11 December 1997).

Recalling Resolution No. 2/6-E(IS) of the Sixth Islamic Summit Conference, held in Dakar, Republic of Senegal on 9-11 December 1991 on the activities of the COMCEC mandating it to formulate new Strategies for the enhancement of the Plan of Action to Strengthen Economic and Commercial Cooperation Among OIC Member States and to take appropriate action for its implementation;

Recalling Resolution No. 8/7-E(IS) of the Seventh Islamic Summit Conference, held in Casablanca, Kingdom of Morocco, from 11 to 13 Rajab 1415H (13-15 December 1994) which endorsed the Strategy and the Plan of Action;

Recalling Resolution No. 24/24-E adopted by the Twenty-fourth Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers;

Recalling the resolution of the ministerial level meetings in different areas of cooperation held under the auspices of the COMCEC.

Also recalling the Resolutions adopted at the thirteen previous sessions of the COMCEC initiating effective action in economic cooperation among Member Countries, particularly in the area of trade;

Further recalling the deliberations of the World Food Summit held in Rome from 13 to 17 November, 1996 and considering the crucial importance for the survival of humankind including the well-being of the people of the Islamic Ummah, the principles and commitments embodied in the Rome Declaration on World Food Security and the Plan of Action of the World food Summit.

Noting with appreciation the efforts of the General Secretariat, subsidiary organs, affiliated and specialized institutions of OIC, working in the field of economy and trade, to implement the Resolutions of the COMCEC and underlining the pivotal role played by the Ankara Centre in the preparation of the New Plan of Action;

Recognizing the importance for the Member Countries of the new economic configurations emerging at the global level particularly from the creation of regional economic groupings and signing of the Uruguay Round Agreements and creation of the World Trade Organization and its subsequent Agreements particularly “Information Technology Agreement” and “Telecom Pact”;

Appreciating that starting with its Eleventh Session, COMCEC serves as a platform where the Ministers of Economy could exchange views on current world economic issues and, that the topic “implications on external trade of Member countries of the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade Negotiations”, “Privatization Experiences in Member Countries” and “Implications of Regional Economic Groupings particularly the European Union on the Economies of Member States” were the themes for the 11^th, 12^th and 13^th sessions of the COMCEC, respectively.

Having taken note of the recommendations of the Twentieth Session of the Islamic Commission for Economic, Cultural and Social Affairs;

1. Expresses satisfaction that the Islamic Development Bank has successfully organized a Coordination Meeting for Member States to consult among themselves and better prepare for the WTO Ministerial Meeting held in Singapore during the period 9-13 December 1996 and to adopt collectively a common stand regarding the issues raised in the Agenda of that meeting, as resolved by the 12^th Session of the COMCEC.

2. Appreciates the technical assistance programmes being designed by the Islamic Development Bank to assist member countries which are either members of the WTO or in the process of accession to the Organization, and the role of the Bank in calling for consultative meetings of member countries and the Seminars and Workshops it organizes for this purpose.

3. Notes with appreciation that the Strategy for Economic and Commercial Cooperation adopted by the COMCEC allows for cooperation among sub-groups of Member countries and is based on the principles giving emphasis to private sector, economic liberalization, integration with the world economy, sanctity of the economic, political, legal and constitutional structures of the Member Countries and their international obligations.

4. Also notes with appreciation that the New Plan of Action is a general and flexible policy document open for improvement during its implementation in accordance with the provisions stipulated in its chapter on Follow-up and Implementation.

5. Appreciates the efforts of the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry in organizing Private Sector Meetings as directed by the COMCEC for an effective implementation of the Plan of Action.

6. Also appreciates the efforts of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for organizing the Fourth Private Sector Meeting in Karachi from 27-29 October 1997.

7. Welcomes the offer of the Republic of Lebanon to host the 7^th Islamic Trade Fair and that of the UAE to host the 8^th Islamic Trade Fair in the years 1998 and 2000 respectively.

8. Emphasizes the need to urgently implement the New Plan of Action to Strengthen Economic and Commercial Cooperation Among Member Countries of the OIC, in compliance with the principles and operational modalities of the Strategy and the procedures set forth in its chapter on Follow-up and Implementation.

9. Requests the Member States to take appropriate measures including necessary cooperation, coordination and consultation among themselves to make efforts with the required possible economic and technical support from international community particularly from the developed countries and relevant international organizations and financial institutions to increase their food production capacity with a view to arriving at national food security as well as enhancing the purchasing power of their people.

10. Invites the Member States to host sectoral meetings in the areas of cooperation listed in the Plan of Action.

11. Welcomes the offer of the Arab Republic of Egypt to host two sectoral experts group meetings in the areas of “Transport and Communications” and “Food, Agriculture and Rural Development” of the Plan of Action.

12. Notes with appreciation the hosting of the sectoral expert group meeting in the area of “Money, Finance and Capital Flows” by the government of the Republic of Turkey, on 1-3 September 1997 in Istanbul.

13. Notes with appreciation the hosting of a sectoral expert group meeting on foreign trade, within the framework of the implementation of the Plan of Action by the government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, on 24-25 October 1997 in Karachi.

14. Thanks the Islamic Republic of Iran for hosting the Third OIC Ministerial Meeting on Posts and Telecommunications from 8-11 July 1996 and calls upon the Follow-up Committee to monitor implementation of the relevant resolutions and the Tehran Declaration.

15. Invites IDB to continue its active support in view of ensuring effective and urgent implementation of the New Plan of Action.

16. Welcomes the organization of an International Seminar on “Human Resources Development for Sustained Economic Growth and Poverty Alleviation in the Member States of the OIC” by the Islamic Institute of Technology (IIT) in collaboration with the Government of Bangladesh in September 1998 in Dhaka.

17. Also welcomes the hosting of Seminar-Workshop by the Republic of Senegal in cooperation with IDB to familiarize the African member states with the Plan of Action, and recommends that similar seminars be held in other regions and sub-regions of OIC.

18. Recognizes that the Exchange of Views organized during the annual sessions of the COMCEC would be utilized to coordinate the positions of the Member States vis-a-vis major world economic issues.

19. Notes with appreciation the offer of the Republic of Gabon to organise in February 1998 a sub-regional seminar for the OIC States of Central and East Africa on “the role of IDB in the promotion of the private sector” in cooperation with IDB and the other concerned institutions of the OIC.

20. Welcomes the offer of the Republic of Burkina Faso to host in 1998 a regional workshop on Industry for East, West and Central African OIC member states in cooperation with the IDB and other related OIC institutions.

21. Notes with appreciation the offer of the government of the Republic of Turkey to host an Expert Group Meeting in the area of Technology and Technical Cooperation in May 1998.

22. Welcomes the offer of the government of the Republic of Indonesia to host a Ministerial Meeting on Tourism to be preceded by an Expert Group Meeting on Tourism within the framework of the COMCEC and Plan of Action.

23. Notes with appreciation the offer of the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to host an experts’group meeting in 1998 on health and sanitary issues to be followed by a ministerial meeting on the same topics.

24. Requests the Secretary General to follow up the implementation of the resolutions adopted by COMCEC and to continue extending to the latter every necessary assistance and fulfil its tasks and report thereon to the next session of the Islamic Summit.