
ISLAMABAD (UNA) – The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Mr. Hussein Ibrahim Taha, visited the Secretariat of the Standing Committee for Scientific and Technological Cooperation (SCST) in Islamabad on Friday (January 10, 2025), and during the visit announced the launch of the Expert Service Programme for Technology Cooperation and Innovation Promotion.
The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation commended the timely launch of the initiative and urged member states to contribute to it and benefit from the announced service programme.
In his speech, Mr. Hussein Ibrahim Taha stressed the importance of cooperation between the OIC member states in the fields of science and technology that are important for overcoming the major challenges facing the Islamic nation, reiterating the support of the African member states of the organization in the framework of helping them overcome their multiple challenges.
He also commended the OIC Standing Committee for Scientific and Technological Cooperation Fellowship and Scholarship Programme for Palestinian citizens, praising its profound impact in empowering Palestinian youth through education and skills development.
For their part, the Federal Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Khalid Maqbool, and the Coordinator General of the Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation, Prof. Iqbal Chowdhury, welcomed the Secretary General. Dr. Khalid Maqbool thanked His Excellency for his leadership and support to the Standing Committee, noting that this strategic initiative aims to enhance self-reliance on technology, promote sustainable development, and mitigate brain drain within the OIC member states.
The General Coordinator provided a briefing on the achievements, contributions and initiatives of the OIC Standing Committee for Science and Technology within the framework of enhancing cooperation among the OIC Member States in the field of science and technology. He explained that the program aims to mobilize expertise from all over the Islamic world to address the challenges posed in the fields of health care, agriculture, energy and education, embodying the spirit of solidarity and mutual development.
The event was attended by Assistant Secretary General for Science and Technology, Ambassadors of OIC Member States in Islamabad, diplomats, Vice Chancellors of Universities, government officials, scientists, researchers and students from various OIC Member States.
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