RIYADH, 11 January 2005 — Finance Minister Dr. Ibrahim Al-Assaf signed here yesterday a SR75 million contract for building the Organization of the Islamic Conference headquarters in Jeddah.
The move to build a permanent facility for the OIC comes in line with the plans and policies of OIC member states that are seeking to make OIC more efficient, effective and credible especially in terms of its functioning and international standing.
The agreement to construct the OIC headquarters was inked by Dr. Assaf and representatives of Daifullah Ibn Saud Est. and Ibn Samar Contracting Est., two national companies which have joined hands to implement this project.
“This OIC project will be implemented within 36 months”, said Dr. Al-Assaf. He said that the project will be implemented in Jeddah — Madinah Road on an area of about 25,000 square meters. The project includes an auditorium and four spacious halls in addition to a mosque, a library and buildings for the OIC General Secretariat.
He said that the new facility will also include offices of the General Secretariat of Islamic Jurisprudence Council, International Islamic News Agency (IINA), Islamic Broadcasting Organization, Islamic Ship Owners Association and a huge parking zone.
Referring to the support extended by the Kingdom to the OIC, Dr. Al-Assaf said that the Kingdom has made $260 million funds available for the OIC up to the end of 2004 to support its various activities and to cover the expenses of its different departments. The Kingdom has also been contributing 10 percent of the budget of the OIC’s General Secretariat and its affiliates.
