Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met with H.E. Bakhtiyor Saidov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, in an official meeting held on Saturday, 24 May 2025, in Tashkent.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed prospects for enhancing bilateral cooperation in the fields of education, science, and culture. The session culminated in the signing of a Joint Action Plan that lays the groundwork for an advanced strategic partnership between ICESCO and Uzbekistan in the coming phase.

Dr. AlMalik reaffirmed the Organization’s commitment to deepening its collaboration with Uzbekistan through the implementation of programs and initiatives that highlight the country’s rich civilizational heritage, particularly in the context of celebrating Samarkand as a Culture Capital of the Islamic World for 2025.

The ICESCO Director-General emphasized that the signing of the Action Plan marks a new chapter in bilateral cooperation and is expected to yield distinctive international initiatives that benefit the Islamic world and promote collaborative cultural action.

For his part, H.E. Bakhtiyor Saidov praised ICESCO’s role and the high regard it holds within Uzbekistan’s political leadership. He commended the Organization’s innovative programs in Member States and affirmed his country’s commitment to strengthening this partnership. This is reflected most recently in the establishment of the National Commission for Education, Science, and Culture, designed to serve as an effective focal point with ICESCO.

The Action Plan serves as a reference framework for the implementation of a panoply of initiatives and activities that build on ongoing programs. Key among them are the launch of the ICESCO Manuscripts Center at the Center for Islamic Civilization in Tashkent and the organization of the International Scientific Conference on “Al-Jami’ Al-Musnad As-Sahih by Imam Al-Bukhari” in the Uzbek capital.

Representing ICESCO at the meeting were Mr. Anar Karimov, Head of the Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector, and Dr. Abdulhakeem AlSenan, Director of the Organization’s Regional Office in Baku.