Economic assistance to Palestine – Twenty-third session of the OIC COMCEC – Resolution//Non-UN document

The Twenty-Third Session Of The Standing Committee For Economic And Commercial Cooperation Of The OIC – Istanbul, 14-17 November 2007

OIC/COMCEC/23-07/Res.(2) FINAL

Original: English

RESOLUTION (2)

ON MATTERS RELATED TO ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE

TO SOME COUNTRIES AND PEOPLES

(Istanbul, 14-17 November 2007)

Twenty-Third Session of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (COMCEC), which was held in Istanbul on 14-17 November 2007;

Requests the Member States to send detailed reports on the assistance to other OIC Member States to the OIC General Secretariat for compilation and submission to annual COMCEC Sessions in order to follow-up on the resolutions adopted under this set of Resolution 2.

A. Economic Measures in Support of Palestine

Recalling the resolutions adopted by OIC Summits in support of the Palestinian people;

Recalling Also the previous resolutions adopted by the Standing Committee at Ministerial Meetings and at meetings of the other committees;

Recalling further the resolutions adopted by the 34th Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers in support of the State of Palestine;

Condemning the repeated Israeli aggressions against the Palestinian people and occupation of Palestinian territories in violation of the resolutions of international legitimacy and agreements signed and recognized internationally and demanding the cessation of all forms of aggression and violation of Muslim and Christian holy places and also demanding the immediate cessation-lift of financial siege on the Palestinian National Authority and also demanding the immediate withdrawal of the Israeli occupation forces from all the Palestinian territories as well as the cessation of assaults against the Palestinian people, and the insistence on erecting the separation wall on Palestine territories about overwhelming international opposition;

Noting the role played by the Palestinian National Authority in all cities, hamlets and camps, including East Jerusalem in order to improve living conditions of the Palestinian people and build up national economy;

1. Appeals to the Quartet to send a peace-keeping force to secure the implementation of the Road-Map plan.

2. Notes, with deep appreciation, the assistance provided by some Member States and the OIC relevant institutions.

3. Commends efforts made by the Palestinian National Authority in Palestinian territory and camps to reconstruct what had been destroyed by Israeli occupation as well as Palestinian steadfastness in the face of Israeli aggression and urges Member States and other relevant parties to exert further efforts and provide greater assistance to build up, develop and strengthen national economy.

4. Expresses deep appreciation for the assistance provided by some Member States to the Palestinian people to build up their national economy and urges Member States and relevant OIC bodies to provide, as early as possible, the required and approved assistance to enable the Palestinian National Authority and the Palestinian people to build up national economy and consolidate national institutions the infrastructure of which had been totally destroyed by the Israeli occupying forces.

5. Reaffirms previous resolutions on providing all forms of support and assistance; economic, technical, material and moral, to the Palestinian people and the Palestinian National Authority, recommending preference in import to Palestinian products while exempting them from customs duties and taxes.

6. Urges businessmen and investors of Member States to contribute to the implementation of economic, industrial, agricultural and housing projects in the Palestinian territory, with a view to building up national economy and enabling the Palestinian National Authority and national institutions to implement their development programmes for the coming period in the various economic, social and health fields.

7. Appeals to Member States to provide employment opportunities the Palestinian labor force, given harsh conditions imposed by the Israeli occupation forces, with a view to enhancing the socio-economic status of the Palestinian people and eradicating unemployment.

8. Urges the Member States to conclude bilateral agreements with the Palestine Liberation Organization and its National Authority covering economic, commercial and social areas, with a view to enhancing the socio-economic status of the Palestinian people.

9. Urges all OIC Member States and affiliated institutions to provide urgent assistance to build up a strong and independent Palestinian national economy.

10. Requests the OIC Secretary General to pursue his efforts aimed at implementing the previous resolutions adopted in support of the State of Palestine and to submit a progress report thereon to the next COMCEC Session.

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