17-19 may 2016 Conrad İstanbul Bosphorus held at the organisation of Islamic cooperation (OIC) third Ministerial Conference responsible for Sudan has been completed. SUEN by OIC and the Conference organised in close cooperation with relevant organizations, Turkey has become a member of the PRT water Council until the year 2022.
Inaugurated by H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Turkey and H.E. Prof. Dr. Veysel Eroglu, Minister of Forestry and Water Affairs, the Conference was attended by 18 ministers and many senior officers from 38 OIC member states. Held under the main theme “From Vision to Action”, the Third Session of the Islamic Conference of Ministers Responsible for Water adopted important decisions towards the implementation of the OIC Water Vision document, which was adopted at the Second Conference of Ministers Responsible for Water in Istanbul in 2012.
Prior to the Opening Ceremony of the Conference, a Senior Officials Meeting was held for the finalization of the documents to be adopted by the Ministers. The Conference also featured two panel discussions on "Capacity Building in Water Sector" and "Prevention of Waterborne Diseases", an emerging issue in the OIC region. Achievement of MDGs (Millennium Development Goals) and elements of SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) were also addressed by the keynote speakers to discuss the future of water in OIC countries.
At the end of the Third Session of the Islamic Conference of Ministers Responsible for Water, the Terms of Reference for the OIC Water Council that specifies the operation procedures of the OIC Water Council was adopted.
Turkey will be a member of the OIC Water Council until 2022
Having pioneered the adoption of the OIC Water Vision document, the establishment of the OIC Water Council, and hosted the meetings to date, Turkey was decided to be a member of the OIC Water Council until 2022. In addition to Turkey, the Conference decided Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Algeria, Guinea, Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia to be included in the OIC Water Council membership until 2018, so as to ensure equal representation of the Arab, Africa and Asia regions.
During the country statements, Saudi Arabia and Egypt declared their intentions to host the Fourth Session of the Islamic Conference of Ministers Responsible for Water to be held in 2018. The Conference called upon the OIC Water Council to implement capacity building strategies in an effort to prevent waterborne diseases in particular. In accordance with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, another call was made for international cooperation, particularly towards the efficient use of water, wastewater treatment and reuse, and disseminating the use of innovative methods like desalination and rainwater harvesting among member states to ensure access to clean and adequate drinking water supply and sanitation services for all.
A database for water management
The Conference decided to establish a database under the management of the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) in order to bring together the demands and solution proposals of the OIC member states related to water management. The member states were also called upon to utilize the Capacity Building Programme on Water Resources Management (Water CaB) implemented by SESRIC.
Click here for the outcome documents, presentations and photos of the Conference.
History
The First Session of the Islamic Conference of Ministers Responsible for Water, held at the sidelines of the 5th World Water Forum in March 2009 in Istanbul, requested the OIC General Secretariat to formulate concrete proposals to elaborate a strategy framework through preparation of an OIC Water Vision and establishment of an OIC Water Council.
An Advisory Panel of Experts comprising of experts and specialists from the three OIC regions was established to prepare an OIC Water Vision document. The OIC General Secretariat and the IDB the organized the First and the Second Meetings of the Advisory Panel of Experts (Dubai, 25 – 26 May, 2010 and Astana, 13-14 July, 2011) and the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) and the Republic of Kazakhstan for hosting the meetings respectively.
The Second Session of the Islamic Conference of Ministers Responsible for Water (Istanbul, March 2012) decided to adopt the OIC Water Vision document outlining a framework for cooperation in the field of water and requested the Chair of the Current Islamic Conference of Ministers Responsible for Water in close coordination with the OIC General Secretariat to prepare draft Terms of Reference for the OIC Water Council for consideration by the next Islamic Conference of Ministers Responsible for Water.
OIC Water Vision Document
The Second Session of the Islamic Conference of Ministers Responsible for Water also decided to appoint national focal points from the member countries to follow up the implementation process of the OIC Water Vision. These focal points met at the First National Focal Points Meeting held by SUEN in Istanbul on 3-5 June 2015. The meeting reviewed the actions taken by the OIC bodies and members towards the implementation of the OIC Water Vision and discussed focus areas where Member States can collaborate.
Click here for more information on the First Meeting of the OIC Water Vision National Focal Points.
Click here to visit the OIC website.