The OIC should be a strategic place for Islamic countries to increase their economic cooperation."Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit will highlight issues on politics more than the economy, according to Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) Chairman for the Middle East and OIC, Mohamad Bawazeer.
"The discussion in the OIC summit meeting will focus on politics more than economy," Bawazeer remarked here Saturday.
But fewer discussions on the issues of economy should be put to good use so that the OIC has wider benefits, and not just for politics, he added.
Economic discussion should lead to better cooperation among Muslim countries to develop markets, according to him.
Furthermore, the discussion also should mainstream Palestinian economy, he said.
Thus, Islamic countries should take significant steps in building the economy of the Palestinian society.
"The OIC should be a strategic place for Islamic countries to increase their economic cooperation. Concerning the Palestinian economy, beyond the OIC, we are already working to move the countrys economy," he said.
Activities to move the Palestinian economy outside the OIC is the Trade Exhibition and Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development (CEAPAD) that has been conducted several times, Bawazeer said.
The activities were supported by many countries and institutions in the world including Japan, the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and Indonesian businessmen, he added.
CEAPAD, was an effort to raise public awareness about the importance of accelerating economic development in Palestine, he said.
Moreover, the activities are also encouraged to increase the welfare of the Palestinian people.
He hoped Indonesia could play an important role in the OIC summit in 2016, as the country first hosted a high-level meeting of Muslim countries.
"Certainly Indonesia has an interest in the OIC. Indonesia should play an important role, given the influence of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States are also quite strong," he said.
(Uu.O001/INE/KR-BSR/A014)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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