Abu Dhabi, Sep. 18, 2007 (WAM) -- Another UAE Englishdaily commented editorially today on the appalling poverty andilliteracy in the Muslim world which has led to under development.

"Gulf News" called on the Organisation of Islamic Conference(OIC) to take the appropriate proactive efforts to put into actionits Ten-Year programme of Action. The paper said: "As the first week of the month of fasting comes to an end, itis timely to contemplate on the state of affairs of over 1.4billion people in the Islamic world. To begin with, the livingconditions of large numbers of Muslims are disturbing as muchas disappointing.

"Vast segments in the 57 Muslim countries are either mired inpoverty, illiteracy, suffering from a high mortality rate, orliving in shelters. The Muslim world today is plagued by a setof dangerous circumstances of under-development. The living conditions of many in the Muslim world have yet to reach theminimum basics of international living standards.

"Two years ago, members of the Organisation of Islamic Conference(OIC) pledged to a Ten-Year Programme of Action, one that wouldprovide a blueprint for the advancement of the Muslim world inthe 21st century. The goal was to enable Muslims to face thechallenges with "the principle of Islamic solidarity".

"In February this year, the Islamic Development Bank announcedthe establishment of a humanitarian fund to reduce poverty inthe Muslim world with an initial donation of $1 billion comingfrom Saudi Arabia. The total amount was raised to a little over$1.5 billion with other OIC members pitching in.

"So why this focus on eradicating poverty? It is a known factthat poverty is intertwined and interlinked with other predicaments.

"The more serious question to highlight though is the extentof Muslims helping their fellow Muslims in alleviating theirneeds. It is critical to realise that in order to break the cycle,a holistic approach is required.

"In his speech at the World Economic Forum in Dalian, China,His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai,stated: "If we want to champion prosperity and progress, we cannotignore poverty that leads to isolation. We should not only emphasisethe role of education as the most powerful weapon in breakingthe vicious circle of poverty, despair and extremism, but alsoenable those who fell prey to that circle.""And it is within this frank approach at examining the root causesthat the Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation was launched,a $10 billion endowment that aims to promote human developmentand knowledge.

"Across the vast geography and wealth of the Muslim world, arethere no other champions for helping thy neighbour?"