The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation of the Republic of Azerbaijan signed, on Monday, 8 December 2025, a sponsorship and funding agreement for the project “Educational and Social Support for Displaced Girls and Boarders” in the Republic of Niger. The signing took place on the sidelines of the International Conference to Launch the ICESCO AI Index for the Islamic World, held in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The agreement was signed by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, and Mrs. Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, in the presence of Dr. Abdulhakeem AlSenan, Director of ICESCO’s Regional Office in Baku, and Mr. Anar Alakbarov, Executive Director of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

Following the signing ceremony, Dr. AlMalik expressed his appreciation for Azerbaijan’s continued support for ICESCO’s activities and programs across the Islamic world, and commended Baku for its distinguished hosting of numerous international conferences organized by the Organization.

For her part, Mrs. Leyla Aliyeva extended her gratitude to ICESCO for its initiatives and programs in the fields of heritage preservation, valorization, and the promotion of Azerbaijani culture.

Both parties affirmed that the close relations between ICESCO and the Foundation, chaired by Azerbaijan’s First Vice-President, Mehriban Aliyeva, constitute one of the pillars of the solid strategic partnership between the two sides.

It is worth noting that ICESCO and the Foundation previously implemented a project to support the education of displaced girls in the Republic of Burkina Faso. It provided essential educational resources, guidance, and life-skills training for girls affected by displacement and economic hardship.