OIC/COMCEC/34-18/D(45) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Related Activities of the OIC Institutions

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which were announced at the UN Special Summit in September 2015, have brought a new perspective in handling the development challenges faced by all countries, regardless of their level of development, with new goals and targets to be achieved by 2030. With 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets, the SDGs have brought a more comprehensive and ambitious development perspective for the world.

Being aware of the importance of the new development perspective for all, the COMCEC immediately added this important topic to its agenda. As per the relevant resolution of the 30th COMCEC Session, the COMCEC Coordination Office (CCO) and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) conducted a joint study on the critical success factors in the implementation of the SDGs in the OIC Member Countries. The Study put forward five critical success factors; namely, governance, data and monitoring, capacity building, finance and policy coherence for the effective implementation of the SDGs in the OIC Member Countries. This Study was welcomed at the 31st COMCEC Ministerial Session held in November 2015.

Furthermore, the IDB and CCO in cooperation with the SESRIC, ICDT, ICCIA, and SMIIC, conducted the study titled “Contributions of the OIC Institutions to the Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)” which was welcomed by the 32nd Session of the COMCEC. The 33rd Session of the COMCEC requested the CCO to continue compiling the SDGs-related activities of the relevant OIC Institutions and submit the list to the annual COMCEC Sessions.

Accordingly, along with the COMCEC Coordination Office, the relevant OIC Institutions, ICCIA, ICDT, SMIIC and SESRIC, have prepared the attached list of their SDG related activities implemented/ being implemented in 2018 and their activities scheduled for 2019.

Within their fields of competence, the OIC institutions conduct various capacity building and experience sharing activities for facilitating the implementation of the SDGs in the Member Countries. Each institution focuses on some specific goals and targets under the SDGs.

The IDB Group conducts capacity building activities in various cross cutting areas related to all the SDGs, more specifically on SDG6 (water and sanitation), SDG11 (inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities) and SDG13 (climate change), SDG17 (global partnership). To illustrate, IDB, in collaboration with UNDP, organized a training activity on “Islamic Finance for achieving SDGs” in İstanbul on 28 May 2018, which is related to SDG17 (global partnership).

The ICCIA conducts activities on Goals 1, 5 and 8, which are related to poverty, gender equality and sustainable economic growth, respectively. As an example, the ICCIA

1 OIC/COMCEC/34-18/D(45) implemented a training program on “Technology Entrepreneurship Advocacy and Management of Business Incubation & Technology Parks” in İstanbul on 23-25th April 2018, which is related to the implementation of Goal 8: “Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth”.

ICDT conducts activities contributing to the implementation of SDG1 (No poverty), SDG2 (Zero hunger), SDG3 (Good health and well-being), SDG4 (Quality education), SDG5 (Gender Equality), SDG9 (resilient infrastructure, sustainable industrialization) and SDG17 (global partnership). For example, the ICDT organized the 4th Specialized Exhibition on "Higher Education Services in the OIC Member States” in Casablanca on 26- 29th, April 2018, which is related to SDG4: “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”.

With regard to the SDGs-related activities of the SMIIC, technical training events are conducted serving to Goal 17.11. For example, “Halal Tourism Training in Uzbekistan” was held on 13-15th November 2018.

SESRIC exerts efforts towards contributin