Kampala — THE Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) has unveiled a $10b special poverty alleviation fund for its member states.

Addressing the 35th session of the council of foreign ministers of the OIC at Speke Resort, Munyonyo yesterday, outgoing secretary general Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said $2.6b had already been pledged. He called for more pledges.

"The issue of alleviating poverty in member states is one of the most important provisions of the OIC's 10-year programme of action. It advocates for the creation of a special fund to alleviate poverty which has, in fact, been created at the Islamic Development back, under the name of the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development (ISFD).

"We hope other member states will make pledges, thus enabling the ISFD to fulfil the noble mission for which it was created."

Today, he added, the world was going through a new crisis of food security, which had sent the prices of basic commodities through the roof.

"This concern unites the governments of the world due to its economic, social, political and humanitarian consequences."

Ihsanoglu stressed that the OIC had identified agriculture as one of its priority areas for collective action, with a view of raising food security in member states.