The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for cooperation in implementing a set of programs and projects in countries of the Islamic World in the fields of education, science, technology and innovation, water, sanitation and hygiene services, and the legal field to strengthen regional cooperation through the transfer of expertise and knowledge exchange.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), and Dr. Bandar bin Mohammed Hamza Hajjar, IsDB President, signed the MoU, on Thursday, August 05, 2021, via videoconference, with the participation of the heads of sector, advisors and directors at ICESCO, as well as Dr. Hayat Sindi, Chief Advisor to the IsDB President on STI, and other IsDB officials.

In his statement at the signing ceremony, Dr. AlMalik expressed his happiness with this unprecedented strategic partnership between ICESCO and IsDB. He pointed out that the projects and programs included in the MoU constitute solid foundations for sustainable development and a real renaissance for Muslim countries. “Its implementation will contribute to sustainable development in the educational, scientific, cultural, humanitarian, social and legal fields,” he added.

Dr. AlMalik stressed that the MoU features great initiatives and innovative visions that would contribute to the achievement of ICESCO’s new vision, and constitute the start of an ambitious, long-term and wide-ranging strategic partnership, stressing that the Organization will ensure its full implementation, in coordination with the competent parties in the Member States and the beneficiaries of its programs and projects.

Dr. Bandar Hajjar stressed that the MoU aims to enhance fruitful cooperation between ICESCO and IsDB in the fields of technology, women rehabilitation, and capacity building, adding that cooperation projects and programs will have economic, social, and environmental impact on the ground.

The MoU provides for cooperation between ICESCO and IsDB in launching and implementing STI programs, most notably the Vocational and Technical Education and Training Program, which aims to ensure social and economic rehabilitation of women in Africa and build scientific and technological capabilities of Member States.

In the educational field, the Memorandum seeks to promote cooperation in building the capacity of teachers and rehabilitating their management and planning skills for educational systems resilience to meet challenges, enhance girls’ education and support education in conflict areas. In the field of water, sanitation and hygiene services, the two parties will cooperate in implementing projects aimed at improving Member States’ infrastructure, improving sanitation and hygiene services at schools, and facing water scarcity challenges.

In the legal field, cooperation will touch on publishing a guide on the ethics of artificial intelligence in the Islamic world to indicate the legal framework for the protection of personal data in the uses of artificial intelligence.