Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), Mr. Fawad Chaudhry, Minister of Science and Technology of Pakistan, and Mr. Hamid Asghar Khan, Ambassador of Pakistan to Morocco explored on Tuesday, September 3, opportunities for a mutually constructive partnership between the Organization and the country.

The discussions were part of Dr. AlMalik’s meeting with Ambassador Khan to the Pakistani Embassy in Rabat, while Mr. Chaudhry attended via a videoconference.
Dr. AlMalik listed the major aspects of ICESCO’s new vision and strategy, including enhanced communication with Member States for country-specific programs. The strategy will cooperate with authorities in each country in the implementation process.

The open-door policy to non-Member States, international organizations, and donors is also central to the partnerships benefitting citizens of Member States and Muslim communities worldwide. ICESCO also allowed other countries to join ICESCO as Observer States.
ICESCO’s DG reaffirmed that during the COVID-19 pandemic the Organization launched many result-oriented initiatives, programs, and activities to counter the negative repercussions of the pandemic on education, science, and culture in Member States.

ICESCO offered technological equipment to 24 countries to sustain distance schooling and provided in-kind aid and preventive equipment to 10 other countries. The Organization also financially and technically assisted many countries to set up best-cost sanitizers production units.

Mr. Chaudhry was keen to maintain close cooperation between the Organization and the Pakistani Ministry of Science and Technology and Pakistani scientists through joint conferences, forums, and workshops. The Minister also invited ICESCO’s DG to visit Pakistan to meet senior officials.

The discussions tackled ICESCO’s Specialized Centers for strategic foresight, dialogue and cultural diversity, heritage, and Arabic language courses for non-native speakers. The officials also explored the Organization’s ministerial teleconferences and virtual forums during the pandemic, which had a strong Pakistani participation.

Ambassador Khan suggested cooperation in water resources management and other environment-related issues, considering water scarcity in Pakistan. The Ambassador also proposed dialogue and cultural diversity, cooperation, training and capacity-building, and students’ scholarships.

He also commended ICESCO’s organizational progress over the past year, as well as its heritage preservation efforts.

ICESCO’s Ambassador Khalid Fathalrahman, Director of the Department of Dialogue and Cultural Diversity, Dr. Kais Hammami, Director of the Center of Strategic Foresight, and Dr. Muhammad Sherrif, Advisor at the Sector of Science and Technology attended the meeting.