The Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the UN World Food Programme signed a strategic cooperation in the implementation of a set of programs and projects in several countries. The projects and programs span sustainable school feeding through conducting studies to determine the food situation in beneficiary countries, provide them with equipment, and strengthening capacities through learning from the expertise of developed countries in the field of food and nutrition.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), and Ms. Fatimata Sow Sidibé, Head of the World Food Program (WFP) Office in Tunisia and Morocco, signed yesterday, December 2, the agreement at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat, in the presence of several heads of sectors and departments from both organizations.

In his address at the signing ceremony, Dr. AlMalik lauded the great role the WFP played as the largest humanitarian organization in the world in fighting hunger and ensuring food security. He also pointed out that it was high time for a cooperation between ICESCO and the WFP to permanently secure feeding to students, especially those living in difficult circumstances.

The DG added that the signing comes after a joint ICESCO-WFP study to identify the objectives and prospects of cooperation, namely the implementation of a strategic nutrition surveillance system, capacity-building, and an innovative social, technological, and organizational model for school feeding programs.

Ms. Sidibé expressed pleasure with the signing of the partnership agreement being the first of its kind. She added that the agreement will lead to constructive and impactful cooperation setting the groundwork for developing new legal mechanisms to allow other regional institutions and offices the opportunity to cooperate with ICESCO.

Ms. Sidibé also said that the WFP is proud of the efforts, deployed at a record time in cooperation with ICESCO, to reach the agreement to carry out a strategic nutrition program and promote the foresight culture for preparing the leaderships of tomorrow.