OIC Water Ministerial Conference Forms Water Council and Endorses its Terms of Reference
Istanbul (IINA) – The Third Session of the Islamic Conference of Ministers responsible for Water (ICMW), held in the Turkish city of Istanbul on May 17-18, concluded with the adoption of the Terms of Reference of the OIC Water Council.
It invited the OIC member states and relevant OIC institutions to render necessary support to the Water Council to enhance cooperation among OIC countries on water-related issues.
The Conference also approved composition of the Council, which consists of 15 members, and adopted a resolution on fostering cooperation in water sector as well as Chair’s Summary of the third session.
Ministers responsible for water and heads of delegations of OIC member states in their speeches highlighted the challenges faced by their countries in water sector and stressed the importance of increasing cooperation to tackle these challenges.
The ministers welcomed the establishment of the OIC Water Council as a major step in implementation of the OIC Water Vision. They called upon the newly formed Water Council to make effective strategies for enhancing technical capabilities of the member states on water-related issues and to prevent the spread of waterborne diseases.
The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) presented the OIC Water Report for 2015 which highlighted the current status of water projects and activities undertaken by OIC countries in the water sector.
Two panel discussions on “Capacity Building in Water Sector” and “Prevention of Waterborne Diseases” in the OIC member states were held on the sidelines of the ICMW conference.