Events

Seminar on Disbursement Policies and Procedures

Purpose

To deepen the understanding of Executing Agencies (EAs) and ADB Project Implementation Units (PIUs) on ADB loan disbursement and loan accounting procedures.

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Objectives

To familiarize participants with ADB loan regulations, policies and practices
To review the modes of withdrawal of loan proceeds, requirements of loan disbursements, and the common problems encountered in loan disbursements
To examine the Asian Development Fund (ADF) loan accounting and loan service payments
To analyze case studies pertaining to disbursement and loan accounting

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Target Participants

Specialists from EAs directly involved in debt management, particularly loan accounting and disbursement of loan funds, and PIUs' accountants and Project Directors.

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Resource Speakers

Roslaini Iljas Rasuman
Sr. Financial Control Specialist
Controller's Department

Tehran to host 15th Int'l Conference on Persian Gulf

Tehran to host 15th Int'l Conference on Persian Gulf

Tehran, Feb 27, IRNA -- The 15th International Conference on Persian

Gulf will be held at the Institute for Political and International

Studies of the Foreign Ministry on March 1.

The two-day conference is due to open with messages from

President Mohammad Khatami and Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi, Iran's

deputy foreign minister for educational and research affairs said here

Sunday.

Alireza Moayyeri added that 80 researchers and intellectuals from

32 countries are scheduled to attend the conference.

Persian Gulf, regional security and cooperation are among the

issues to be discussed at the conference, he said.

Moayyeri added the annual conference aims to explore the

political, security and energy issues of the Persian Gulf littoral

states.

Russia, the United States, China, Taiwan, Finland, Greece,

Britain, Mexico, Iraq, Nigeria, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates,

Kuwait, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, Pakistan, Japan and Egypt are among the

countries that have voiced readiness to participate in the conference.

Iraq's future development, the US policies in Persian Gulf region,

the big powers' policies in Persian Gulf and Middle East, economy and

energy in Persian Gulf will be top on the agenda of the conference.

Defense Minister Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani is also scheduled to

deliver a speech at the second day of the conference.

The closing ceremony of the conference will be held on March 2

in the presence of Expediency Council Chairman Akbar Hashemi

Rafsanjani.

Moayyeri said that Iran's three Persian Gulf islands (Greater and

Lesser Tunbs as well as Abu Mousa) will not be among the issues to be

discussed at the conference, adding that due to Iran's full

sovereignty over the islands, there is no need to bring up the issue.

2331 / 1412

Forthcoming Conferences

[c]

Globalization Studies Network (GSN)

Second Annual Conference, Dakar, Senegal, 29-31 August 2005

CSGR Annual Conference on "Regionalism as Strategic Response to Globalisation"

October 2005, co-ordinated by Chris Hughes and Michela Redoano from CSGR, Philippe De Lombaerde from UNU-CRIS, and Andy Cooper from CIGI. Call for paper coming soon.

"Navigating Globalization: Stability, Fluidity and Friction"

August 4-6, 2005, Trondheim, Norway, organised by Norwegian University of Science and Technology Globalization Programme. Deadline for paper/abstract submission is January 15, 2005.

For more information about the conference click here.

Conference brochure .

THE SECOND AND FINAL MEETING OF THE O.I.C. COMMISSION

OF EMINENT PERSONS CONCLUDED IN ISLAMABAD

The Second and Final Meeting of the OIC Commission of Eminent Persons, consisting of the leading intellectuals from 17 OIC Member States, has concluded its work in Islamabad on 28-29 May 2005, under the chairmanship of H.E. Dato Seri Syed Hamid Albar, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia, and with the active participation, in the deliberations, by H.E. Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary General of the OIC.

The Commission of Eminent Persons was established according to the resolution of the Tenth Islamic Summit in Putrajaya, Malaysia, to prepare a strategy and plan of action enabling the Islamic Ummah to meet the challenges of the 21^st Century; prepare a comprehensive plan promoting enlightened moderation and devise recommendations for the reform and restructuring of the OIC system. The Commission had met under the chairmanship of Malaysia first on 27-29 January 2005 in Putrajaya.

The recommendations of the Commission of Eminent Persons, which have been contained in three documents, namely, (a) the challenges of the 21^st Century; (b) Policies and Programme for Promoting Enlightened Moderation; and (c) OIC Reform and Restructuring will be submitted to the consideration and approval of the Extraordinary Islamic Summit which will be held in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia before the end of this year.

The Secretary General, in his speech at the opening ceremony of the Second Meeting of the Commission, emphasized that the outcome of the work of the Commission and the implementation of its recommendations will open new vistas of hope to the Islamic Ummah to recover from its present setback, through a unified Islamic action.

It is worth noting that the Eminent Persons in their recommendations for the OIC reform and restructuring, drew attention to the urgent need to restructure, reform and revitalize the OIC including necessary changes in the OIC Charter, as well as to strengthen the role and capabilities of the Secretary General by giving him flexibility and new responsibilities.

The Commission also recommended, within its detailed conclusions, that the OIC should renew its emphasis on issues such as conflict resolution, inter-faith dialogue, human rights, good governance and combating Islamophobia, and other relevant and current matters.

Jeddah: 30 May 2005.