The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening efforts to achieve food security, adapt to climate change, and harness space sciences, technology, and innovation for agricultural development.

The MoU was signed on Friday, 24 April 2026, at ICESCO headquarters by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of ICESCO, and Dr. Ibrahim Adam El-Dukheri, Director-General of AOAD.

Ahead of the signing ceremony, Dr. AlMalik stressed that the accelerating pace of climate change worldwide necessitates concerted efforts and the development of strategic partnerships to mitigate its economic and social repercussions on the countries of the Islamic world. He noted that the memorandum represents a step toward developing activities with tangible impact in improving the management of water and natural resources.

He added that climate change poses a persistent threat to cultural sites and elements, which requires the use of artificial intelligence applications to develop sustainable solutions for protecting heritage and civilizational legacy.

For his part, Dr. El-Dukheri commended ICESCO’s contributions to environmental protection and the development of smart agriculture, affirming AOAD’s readiness to exchange expertise and best practices to employ modern technologies in climate change adaptation and the rational management of natural resources in the countries of the Islamic world.

The MoU provides for the implementation of joint activities in the fields of science, technology, and innovation; the application of space sciences for agricultural development; improving food security; climate change adaptation; smart agriculture; natural resource management; water management; the use of Earth observation technologies and artificial intelligence; and capacity building for professionals in agricultural development.

The signing ceremony was attended on behalf of ICESCO by Mr. Anar Karimov, Head of the Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector; Ambassador Khaled Fatahalrahman, Head of the Civilizational Dialogue Centre; Dr. Adel Smeda, Supervisor of the Science and Environment Sector; Dr. Issam Krimi, expert in the same sector; and Mr. Omer Hamid, expert in the Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector.