The United States and The Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) have forged a partnership within the framework of a global initiative to eradicate Polio. A U.S. delegation, which visited Jeddah, recently held talks with OIC officials at its headquarters in the port city. The partnership is the outcome of this Jeddah meeting (on July 26) between the two sides, which focused on in-depth studies and discussions to follow up the necessary action in conjunction with the initiative that US President Barack Obama announced in an address to the Muslim World, in Cairo on June 4, 2009, on a new global effort of the US with the OIC to eradicate polio. The US delegation comprised of representatives from the US diplomatic representatives based in Saudi Arabia, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the US Department of Health and Human Services and the USAID. The two sides at the meeting, agreed to continue cooperation and coordination in specified areas such as advocacy, fund- raising and technical support, said an OIC press release issued in Jeddah yesterday. --MORE
