Islamabad, March 17, 2005

As part of the implementation of ideas discussed during the OIC Economic Conference in Istanbul, in November 2004, the Islamic Development Bank and the Government of Pakistan will be organizing a meeting in Islamabad on 17th March 2005. The participants in this meeting will include investment and trade executives from public and private sectors in the OIC member countries as well as officials from the relevant OIC institutions. The meeting will be held under the chairmanship of Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Minister for Investment and Privatization of Pakistan. The meeting is expected to establish and launch an Investment Promotion Team which will comprise a core group of leading businessmen, entrepreneurs, and officials who will serve as the driving force as well as interlocutor at the level of the OIC on investment and trade related matters. It will also discuss the implementation of some of the specific ideas that were presented during the OIC Economic Conference for the promotion of intra-OIC trade and investment. The OIC entities that are expected to participate in the meeting include the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Karachi; Islamic Centre for Development of Trade (ICDT), Casablanca; and the COMCEC Coordination Office, Istanbul.