The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) participated in the UN Governance Innovation Summit, held under the theme “Advancing Future-Ready Institutions”, which took place in Baku, Azerbaijan, on 5 and 6 November 2026. The Summit was jointly organized by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) and the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The Summit brought together around 200 participants, including ministers, senior government officials, representatives of international and regional organizations, experts and specialists, to exchange experiences and expertise and showcase innovative policies for developing public administration, driving institutional transformation, and building government institutions capable of meeting future demands.

ICESCO was represented at the Summit by Dr. Sally Mabrouk, Director of the Office of the Director-General and Supervisor of the Strategy, Innovation and Institutional Excellence Sector and Department of Digital Transformation, alongside Mr. Murad Aliyev, Expert in the Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector.

On the first day of the Summit, Dr. Sally Mabrouk moderated a high-level session titled “Rethinking the Role of the State: New Institutional Models for an Evolving Governance Landscape”, with the participation of senior representatives of the African Peer Review Mechanism of the African Union, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Labour Centre, and the Republics of Kenya and Suriname.

The session examined the transformations in the role of the state amid rapid technological, economic and societal changes, with a focus on modernizing institutional structures, strengthening governance and accountability, and developing public institutions that are more flexible, efficient and responsive to citizens’ needs.

On the second day, Dr. Sally Mabrouk also moderated one of the sessions of the Governance Innovation Hackathon, which served as an interactive platform for developing practical and innovative solutions to the challenges facing public administration and government institutions.
The Hackathon brought together around 100 international participants, divided into eight multidisciplinary teams, who addressed a range of issues related to inclusive public services, citizen engagement, climate resilience, public-private partnerships, and the future skills required of public sector employees.

ICESCO’s participation in the Summit reaffirms its continued commitment to fostering institutional innovation, consolidating the principles of good governance and institutional excellence, supporting digital transformation, and promoting the exchange of international knowledge and expertise, thereby contributing to the development of institutions that are more efficient, inclusive and capable of adapting to future changes.