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ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR WESTERN ASIA.
ESCWA promotes economic and social development through regional and
subregional cooperation and integration and serves as the main general
economic and social development forum within the United Nations system for
the ESCWA region. It formulates and promotes development assistance
activities and projects commensurate with the needs and priorities of the
region and acts as an executing agency for relevant operational projects.
ESCWA coordinates its activities with those of the major departments/offices
of the United Nations at Headquarters and of specialized agencies and
intergovernmental organizations, such as the League of Arab States, the Gulf
Cooperation Council and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, with a
view to avoid duplication and ensure complementarity, synergy and exchange
of information.
ESCWA has 13 member States and reports to the UN Economic and Social
Council (ECOSOC).
Members: Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman,
Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab
Emirates and
Yemen.
Web: www.escwa.un.org
League of Arab States. Is a regional organization of Arab
States in the Middle East and North Africa. It currently has 22 members.
The Arab League is rich in resources, with enormous Oil and Natural Gas
resources; it also has great fertile lands in South of the Sudan, usually
referred to as the food basket of the Arab World. The region's instability
has not affected its tourism industry, that is considered the fastest
growing industry in the region, with Egypt, UAE, Lebanon, Tunisia and Jordan
leading the way. Another industry that is growing steadily in the Arab
League is telecommunications. Within less than a decade, local companies
such as Orascom and Etisalat have managed to compete internationally.
Economic achievements initiated by the League amongst member states have
been less impressive than those achieved by other smaller Arab organizations
such as the GCC. However, several promising major economic projects are set
to be completed soon. Among them are the Arab Gas Pipeline, scheduled to be
finished by the year 2010, which will connect Egyptian and Iraqi Gas to
Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon, and also to Turkey (and, therefore,
Europe), as
well as a free trade Agreement (GAFTA) stated for completion by the 1st of
January 2008, making 95% of all Arab products free of Customs.
Web:
http://www.arableagueonline.org
Islamic Development Bank. Is a Multilateral Development Bank
(MDB), established to foster the economic development and social
progress of its member countries in accordance with the principles of
Shari'ah (Islamic Law).
The purpose of the Bank is to foster the economic development and social
progress of member countries and Muslim communities individually as well as
jointly in accordance with the principles of Shari'ah i.e., Islamic Law.
The present membership of the Bank consists of 55 countries. The basic
condition for membership is that the prospective member country should be a
member of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, pay its contribution
to the capital of the Bank and be willing to accept such terms and
conditions as may be decided upon by the IDB Board of Governors.
Objectives:
- Promotion of Islamic financial industry and institutions
- Poverty alleviation
- Promotion of cooperation among member countries
Priority Areas:
To realize these objectives, the IDB Group will focus on the following six
priority areas.
- Human development
- Agricultural development and food security
- Infrastructure development
- Intra-trade among member countries
- Private sector development
- Research and development (R & D) in Islamic economics, banking and
finance
Web: http://www.isdb.org/
Organization of the Islamic Conference. Is an
inter-governmental organization grouping fifty-seven States. These
States decided to pool their resources together, combine their efforts
and speak with one voice to safeguard the interest and ensure the
progress and well-being of their peoples and those of other Muslims in
the world over.
Web www.oic-oci.org
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