HAFEEZ SHAIKH ARRIVES ALMATY TO DELIVER KEYNOTE ADDRESS ON "COOPERATION AMONG OIC MEMBER COUNTRIES FOR INTRA INVESTMENT" IN 28TH MEETING OF ISLAMIC DEVELOPMENT BANK

Islamabad, SEPTEMBER 1, 2003


The Federal Minister for Privatisation and Investment, Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh who has reached Kazakhstan will deliver keynote address in the 14th Annual Symposium on "Cooperation among OIC member Countries for Intra-Investment" being held in connection with Twenty-Eighth annual meeting of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Board of Governors, which is scheduled in Almaty, Kazakhstan on 2nd September 2003, says a message received here today from Almaty.

Dr. Hafeez Shaikh will also hold meetings with the Finance Ministers of the Muslim World and other participating countries to invite them for participating in the Privatisation and Investment opportunities in Pakistan for promoting economic interaction among the private sectors of OIC countries. Of the 191 member countries of the United Nations, 57 countries (or approximately 30% of the total) are members of OIC.

Dr. Hafeez Shaikh, who is an economist of international repute, in his key note address to the Symposium will tomorrow highlight as to how the alternative economic networking opportunities available to different member countries can be brought together to strengthen OIC's networking capacity - and how this can be used to amplify the power of the OIC economic network. Dr. Hafeez Shaikh will also highlight the necessary conditions and the way for the member countries to actually engage as effective network participants and the compelling benefits to individual member countries to contribute by enhancing the OIC economic network.

The overall objective of the symposium is to provide a forum to membercountries to discuss how to tailor the universal attributes of a sound investment environment as well as the strategies designed to attract in a given timeframe larger amounts of intra-investment. The symposium will cover a broad spectrum of issues and specific steps for enhancing cooperation between member countries in this area, including exploiting complementarities, promoting joint ventures sharing experiences, exchanging information, supporting capacity building, enhancing co financing through adequate advisory and financial assistance as well as active partnership with other multilateral financing institutions (MFIs) and specializedorganizations.