First Meeting of the OIC Water Council.

 15-16 November 2017 | Istanbul

The Water Vision Implementation Plan received approval during a meeting organized by the Turkish Water Institute (SUEN) and the OIC General Secretariat in Istanbul on November 15 16 2017. Senior officials carefully evaluated the Proposed Implementation Plan for the OIC Water Vision during this meeting. Mr. Akif Özkaldı, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Forestry and Foreign Affairs chaired the meeting with Egypt and Bangladesh serving as vice chairs. Nigeria was appointed as the rapporteur. Presentations were given by Mr. Fadi Farasin from SESRIC and Mr. Sami Ahmad Faruqi from the Islamic Development Bank. The Working Document included areas of cooperation such as assessing needs and capacities networking water centers collaborating on research activities and mobilizing resources.

Ministers, undersecretaries and director generals from 11 member states participated in this meeting chaired by H.E. Prof. Dr. Veysel Eroğlu, Turkeys Minister of Forestry and Water Affairs. The agenda included presentations on "Water Aid Perspective of Government" along with statements from delegation heads. Minister Eroğlu highlighted that establishing the Water Council was an outcome resulting from the OIC Conference of Ministers Responsible for Water.

The OIC Water Visions Proposed Implementation Plan was that Egypt requested a revision to the resource mobilization mechanism. Additionally, a Resource Mobilization Group was established during the meeting to facilitate funding, for projects related to water.