Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), held three separate meetings with the Deputy Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan, the Minister of Education of Malaysia, and the Minister of Education of Tunisia. These meetings took place on the sidelines of the 3rd ICESCO Education Ministers Conference, hosted by the Sultanate of Oman on October 2-3, 2024, under the theme: “Beyond Transforming Education Summit: From Commitments to Actions.”

During these meetings, held on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, in Muscat, Oman, Dr. AlMalik reiterated ICESCO’s commitment to supporting its Member States in modernizing their educational systems. He emphasized that the Education Ministers Conference would address several key issues aimed at strengthening the commitment to transforming education across ICESCO Member States, establishing effective mechanisms for sharing best practices, accelerating their implementation, and promoting greater cooperation among Member States in this field.

The first meeting was with Mr. Edil Baisalov, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan. Dr. AlMalik reaffirmed ICESCO’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with Kyrgyzstan in the areas of education, science, culture, and youth capacity-building through the implementation of joint initiatives, programs, and activities. In turn, Mr. Baisalov underscored the importance of deepening cooperation with ICESCO and the Islamic world, particularly in light of the Organization’s modernization efforts. He noted that he oversees sectors closely aligned with ICESCO’s areas of focus, such as education, healthcare, culture, labor, social affairs, and youth development.

The second meeting was with Ms. Fadhlina Sidek, Malaysia’s Minister of Education, where both parties stressed the importance of enhancing cooperation between ICESCO and Malaysia in advancing education through various programs and projects, both in Malaysia and across other ICESCO Member States. Special attention was given to girls’ education and the promotion of teaching Arabic to non-Arabic speakers.

In the third meeting, Dr. AlMalik warmly congratulated Tunisia’s Minister of Education, Dr. Noureddine Nouri, on his new role, wishing him success in the journey ahead. He also expressed his appreciation for Dr. Nouri’s commitment to attending the Education Ministers Conference. The meeting reinforced the strong cooperation between ICESCO and Tunisia in the field of education, with both sides agreeing to strengthen their collaboration through joint programs, projects, and initiatives.