OIC Expert Conclude Discussion on Youth Strategy

Jeddah, MINA – The Intergovernmental Group of Experts of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) concluded on Tuesday discussions on the OIC Youth Strategy in preparation for submission to the Islamic Conference of Youth and Sports Ministers, to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, in May.

The participants wrapped up a two-day meeting at the headquarters of the OIC General Secretariat in Jeddah to revise the strategy and receive comments from member states, UNA reported.

The meeting, attended by members of the OIC Joint Standing Committee on Youth Affairs, was chaired by Turkey’s Permanent Representative to the OIC Ambassador Salih Mutlu Şen. Assistant Secretary General for Cultural, Humanitarian and Family Affairs Ambassador Hesham Yousef; President of the Islamic Conference Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation (ICYF-DC) Elshad Iskandarov; and Secretary General of the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation (ISSF) Mohammed Bin Saleh Al-Qarnas also attended the meeting.

The strategy was prepared by the Islamic Centre for Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training (SESRIC), in collaboration with ICYF-DC, to act as a joint reference document for the Muslim world in the field of youth empowerment for peace, solidarity and development.

The draft strategy has identified nine areas as the most important challenges facing young people in Islamic countries, namely education, employment, social integration, extremism, services, entrepreneurship, the challenges of globalization, migration and communication.

The draft addressed each of these areas by presenting its current situation in member countries, the performance of their governments compared to the world average and the developing countries, as well as identifying the best possible government policies to deal with and overcome the challenges posed by each area.

The draft recommended strengthening the necessary mechanisms to implement the strategy and achieve its objectives, chiefly the cooperation among member states within the framework of the Organization. It also recommended the allocation of centers for the youth in member states to solve the problems facing them and to devote youth endowments, whose proceeds to be used for developing young people’s capabilities. (R/R04/RS5)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)