AlHijjah 7, 1432, Nov 3, 2011, SPA -- The Secretary General of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Prof .Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu Stated that Member States of OIC made contributions in supporting and facilitating regional cooperation aiming at peace, security and development in Afghanistan and the region, particularly in intensifying cooperation and dialogue between Afghanistan and her neighbors. In his speech at Istanbul Conference for Afghanistan “Security and Cooperation in the Heart of Asia” in Istanbul Wednesday 2 November 2011, Ihsanoglu stressed the importance of Afghanistan as a rich country in possessing enormous human and natural resources. “It is a bridge in the Heart of Asia, connecting South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East” The Secretary General said. He added that Afghanistan's strategic location and historical position, may serve as a catalyst for the promotion of security and cooperation in the region. In the same vein, Ihsanoglu explained that projects relating to the rehabilitation of rail transportation in Afghanistan have been elaborated, as evident in the on-going project to build Dushanbe-Mazar-i Sharif- Herat railway, noting that Afghanistan has recently started to participate in the OIC Plan of Action for Cooperation in Central Asia which entails cooperation in various areas such as agriculture, rural development and food security, trade exchanges, health, education, poverty alleviation, transport as well as research and scientific cooperation. In the end of his remarks, the Secretary General reiterated OIC's commitment to hold an Ulama Conference at an appropriate time in cooperation with the Afghan authorities.
