Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received yesterday, September 14, Mr. Ahmet Aydın Doğan, Ambassador of Turkey to Morocco, to explore cooperation between the Organization and Turkey in education, science, and culture.

The meeting also touched on the latest developments of the Turkish parliament’s ratification to Turkey’s membership to ICESCO.

Dr. AlMalik reviewed ICESCO’s recent milestones following enhanced communication with Member States to identify their priorities in education, science and culture. The goal is to implement programs in cooperation with local parties.

The vision is also inclusive of non-Member States and international donors and benefits of Member States and Muslim communities worldwide, added the DG.

Dr. AlMalik stated that ICESCO established many specialized centers for strategic foresight, artificial intelligence, Arabic courses for non-native speakers, heritage and cultural diversity. The Organization also held ministerial conferences and international forums during the pandemic with participation from heads of states and internationally renowned figures.

The DG shed light on ICESCO’s initiatives and programs to help countries counter the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Multiple Member States, in cooperation with donors, joined ICESCO’s efforts to ensure the continuity of distance learning, provide prevention tools, establish best-cost sanitizers production units, and train the local community.

The Turkish Ambassador commended ICESCO’s updated strategy and assistance to its Member States during the pandemic.

Ambassador Doğan highlighted that the accession procedures of Turkey to ICESCO were in the final stage, which is the ratification by the Turkish Parliament. The delay was due to work suspension in many institutions as a result of the outbreak, and the accession will be soon ratified.