Jeddah, Safar 27, 1439, Nov 16, 2017, SPA -- The OIC General-Secretariat participated at the Seventh Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan (RECCA VII), held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan on 14-15 November 2017 under the theme "Deepening Connectivity and Expanding Trade through Investment in Infrastructure and Improving Synergy." The Conference was attended by 35 Countries, including 16 OIC Member States, as well as 30 International and Regional Organizations. The representative of the Islamic Development Bank also attended the Conference. Rashid Meredov, Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Turkmenistan and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sarvar Danish, the Second Vice President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, and Salahuddin Rabbani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan delivered their Statements during the Opening Ceremony of the Conference. The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia and the Minister of State of India also delivered their statements during the Opening ceremony. The Conference reviewed the current status of the on-going projects namely, TAPI Pipeline, CASA-1000, TAP-500, Afghanistan Rail Network, Regional Trade, Customs, and Border Management Corporation, Digital Silk Road, Regional Agro-Food Industry Development, among others. The Conference called all partners to actively expedite the implementation of the said projects as well as other new projects. The Lapis-Lazuli Transit, Trade and Transport Route Agreement was signed by the participating countries on the sidelines of the RECCA VII, namely Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey. --SPA 20:14 LOCAL TIME 17:14 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w538908