OIC trade from 14.5% in 2004 to 16.6% in 2008 and OIC countries share of world GDP increased from 6.1% in 2007 to 7.3% in 2008. Other projects have also been initiated to fast-track this process including the OIC Five-Year Action Plan on Cotton (2007-2011); the Framework for Development and Cooperation in the Domain of Tourism between Member States; the OIC Dakar-Port Sudan Railway project as well as rapid implementation of such crucial programs as poverty alleviation, micro-finance, food security and women empowerment, particularly in the Least Developed Member States, and the five-year Special Program for the Development of Africa (2008-2012). He urged all distinguished delegates to freely discuss the important issue of economic partnership. “The world is reshaping itself into larger economic communities based on common interests and shared values. Ours is an organization that can achieve greater successes if we unlock the innate energies of our citizens in the direction of productive ventures,” stressed Ihsanoglu.
