SESRIC participated in the 40^th Meeting of the Follow-up Committee of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC). The meeting aimed to review the implementation of the COMCEC Strategy and the OIC-2025 Programme of Action, and to address cooperation areas, including intra-OIC trade, private sector development, financial cooperation, transport and communications, tourism, agriculture, poverty alleviation, and digital transformation.

The meeting was chaired by the COMCEC Coordination Office and saw the participation of representatives from 11 OIC countries and relevant OIC institutions. SESRIC was represented by Dr. Atilla KARAMAN, Chief of Cabinet; Mr. Mazhar HUSSAIN, Director of the Economic and Social Research Department; and Dr. Nenden Octavarulia SHANTY, Director of the Training and Technical Cooperation Department who provided the interventions on behalf of SESRIC during the Meeting.

During the meeting, SESRIC briefed the delegates on its actions required for reporting to the Committee, particularly under Agenda Item 10 (Alleviating Poverty), focusing on the Vocational Education and Training Program for the OIC Member Countries (OIC-VET) Programme and the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Since the 39^th Ministerial Session of COMCEC in December 2023, SESRIC has organised 2 activities within the OIC-VET programme framework. Additionally, the Committee was informed that SESRIC’s project on “Empowering Youth through Enhancing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET): A Pathway to Employment and Success”, has been selected for the 2024 implementation period under the 11^th Call for Project Proposals of the COMCEC Project Funding. This project will be conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of National Education of Malaysia, benefiting relevant TVET authorities and national institutions in 15 OIC countries. Furthermore, SESRIC informed the Committee about the planned 7^th Meeting of the Monitoring and Advisory Committee (MAC) to be held in the last quarter of this year.

In addition, SESRIC informed the Committee about its upcoming Report on the Progress towards the Achievement of Prioritised SDGs. To be submitted to the upcoming 40^th Ministerial Session of the COMCEC in November this year, this Report will cover the progress of OIC countries as a group towards the achievement of prioritised 8 SDGs (1-5, 8-9, 13) and the remaining 9 SDGs (6-7, 10-12, 14-17). Since last year’s COMCEC Ministerial Session, SESRIC has organised 10 activities focusing on SDGs for the benefit of national authorities in OIC countries.

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