The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Republic of Gabon signed a partnership agreement to promote cooperation in the fields of education, science and culture. An agreement between ICESCO and Omar Bongo University in Gabon was also signed to set up the ICESCO Chair for Women, Girls and Societies at the University.

The signing ceremony was held on Wednesday, December 21, 2022. The two agreements were signed for ICESCO by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), while Dr. Patrick Mouguiama-Daouda, Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research, Technology Transfer and National Education, President of the Gabonese National Commission for Education, Science and Culture, signed the partnership agreement. Dr. Mesmin Noel Soumaho, Rector of Omar Bongo University, signed the Chair agreement.

During his address at the signing ceremony, held as part of the proceedings of the First Consultative Meeting on Strategic Indicators for Development in the Islamic World: Global Knowledge Index as a Model, the Director-General reaffirmed ICESCO’s keenness to implement all the provisions of the partnership program, commending the close cooperation between ICESCO and Gabon.

For his part, Dr. Mouguiama-Daouda commended ICESCO’s initiatives and efforts in its capacity as an engine for peace, expressing his delight at the signing of the two agreements which is the fruit of a year and a half of work that started with the DG’s visit to Gabon where he was received by H.E. President Ali Bongo at the Presidential Palace in Libreville. The Gabonese Minister also invited ICESCO to create a center for teaching Arabic in Gabon.

The partnership program covers the period between 2023 and 2027 and provides for promoting and fostering cooperation between the two parties, while giving priority to young people and women, under the theme, “Involving women and the Youth for Building peace, fostering comprehensive and civil education and promoting cultural heritage to achieve sustainable development”.

The program also sets out the tools and mechanisms to implement initiatives and activities, hold capacity-building training programs and workshops, and organize seminars. It also provides for communication between the two parties to devise and follow up the implementation of action plans and provide facilitations to overcome challenges and obstacles.

The Chair is part of the cooperation program between ICESCO and Gabon and aims to strengthen scientific and education research in gender and women’s rights issues, contribute to building women’s and girls’ capacities, and build equitable and peaceful societies.