IslamicFinance.de

As the 13th OIC (57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation) Heads of State Summit gets under way in Istanbul this week, it is important to remember that whilst many Muslim countries are known for oil and gas, this is not, however, their most valuable resource, and it is not the only sector that needs to be invested in. Our youth will last longer than our oil reserves, and their worth is impervious to price fluctuations and market forces. Investment in youth is now a top priority for Muslim countries, because if we do not invest in our young people, someone else will – this is a free market. This is why the Islamic Conference Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation (an OIC affiliated international institution headquartered in Istanbul) have convened a youth summit.

A meeting of the 58th session of the Permanent Council of the Islamic Solidarity Fund of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation reviewed the current financial situation of the Fund and the projects it is executing for member states and Muslim communities in non-OIC member states. OIC Secretary General Iyad Ameen Madani called for the mobilization of support for the ISF to overcome the limitation of resources in the face of growing needs, adding that many humanitarian issues were awaiting the attention of the Fund. He called for the establishment of a work group to identify projects for the ISF and unify efforts. The ISF has so far built 2,418 projects at a cost of $207 million in 130 countries throughout the world.

The headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Jeddah hosts, on 10–11 June 2013, a workshop entitled: "Humanitarian Action in Today’s World: reality and challenges in the context of Islamic jurisprudence and international humanitarian law". This workshop is attended by scholars and experts of Islamic jurisprudence and international humanitarian law, all together more than 20 organisations and 80 participants. It covers topics relating to the rights of victims of armed conflicts and the protection of humanitarian workers. It also features specific presentations on experiences and practices in the area of protection. The workshop aims to provide knowledge-based assistance to those working in the humanitarian field, develop their skills, and promote their awareness and knowledge of the principles of humanitarian action in light of Islamic jurisprudence and international humanitarian law.