The IDB Group Indonesia Country Gateway Office (CGO) Human Development Specialist, Deni Ahmad Fauzi, delivered a presentation on IDB YES (Youth Employment Support) Program in the Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) themed “Mainstreaming Youth Employment and Occupational Safety and Health in OIC Member Countries” in Jakarta, Indonesia on 28 October 2015 preparatory to the 3^rd Islamic Conference Labor Minister on 28-30 October 2015. The meeting was attended by Senior officials from 30 OIC member countries, two Observer States and representatives of the OIC General Secretariat, SESRIC, IDB and Gulf Cooperation Council.

The presentation focused on YES Program as IDB’s effort to help IDB Group member countries in Arab region affected by chronic youth unemployment. Financed through Istisna’ for Labor Intensive Public Works program in Yemen and Restricted Mudaraba for Islamic Microfinance in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, the program was a realization of a support facility amount USD 250 million for Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen. IDB Group is the first Multilateral Development Bank (MDB) to go beyond sovereign lending to provide Venture Capital financing through Restricted Mudaraba. There were some feedbacks from the participants, generally asking how to implement the program in their countries.

Many delegates, while speaking on their national experiences towards creating job opportunities for youth, underlined the need to exchange experiences among OIC member countries through bilateral or multilateral assistance in such areas as accidents at work, strengthening of national regulations, labor inspection and implementation of standards, among others. Other OIC member countries volunteered to share their experiences within sub-regional organizations, including holding of workshops and assistance in data collection methodologies.