Category: Director General

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met with Mr. Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). The meeting discussed ways of enhancing cooperation and joint action in preparation for the Conference of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP16), which will be hosted in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in December 2024, with a high-level presence of heads of state and government, ministers and experts from all over the world.

During the meeting, held on Monday, April 29, 2024, on the sidelines of the annual meetings of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the two parties stressed their keenness to contribute to the success of COP 16, which is a major event gaining further momentum in light of the global climate change and its threat to natural resources and food security.

The meeting also touched on ICESCO’s participation and activities throughout the conference days, from December 2-13, in full coordination and cooperation with the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture. These activities will focus on building young people’s capacities in the field of the environment to raise awareness of climate change and environmental challenges, including desertification, within the framework of the Organization’s strategic orientations to prioritize environment protection, implement a number of initiatives, programs and projects, encourage Member States to invest in renewable energy, shift towards flexible, smart and sustainable cities, and promote the use of modern technology in agriculture.

Moreover, ICESCO DG indicated that the Organization will form a team of experts and officials to devise the program of ICESCO participation in COP 16 and supervise the preparation and implementation of its activities in this major international event.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met with Mr. Hissein Brahim Taha, Secretary-General (SG) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), in Riyadh, on the sidelines of the annual meetings of the Islamic Development Bank Group, currently hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They discussed enhancing the partnership between ICESCO and OIC, especially in the fields of education, science, and culture.

At the outset of the Meeting, held today, Sunday, April 28, 2024, Dr. AlMalik reaffirmed ICESCO’s strong commitment to deepening existing cooperation with its parent organization (OIC), in service of the Member States of both organizations, and to enhance joint action through the implementation of programs and projects in the fields of science, culture, and education, especially girls’ education, capacity-building for youth and women, and social welfare for vulnerable groups in countries most in need.

ICESCO DG extended an invitation to OIC SG to visit Rabat during the meetings of the Joint Committee for Cooperation between the two organizations, held annually to coordinate cooperation plans between ICESCO and OIC, in order to closely acquaint himself with flagship initiatives and programs undertaken by each organization.

For his part, OIC SG welcomed the invitation, appreciating the roles of ICESCO and its implementation of programs and projects to support the countries of the Islamic world in its areas of expertise, reaffirming his keenness to continue the partnership between the two organizations.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Organization for Education, Science, and Culture (ICESCO), met with Dr. Mohamed Shafeeq, Minister of Finance, and Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, Minister of Islamic Affairs of the Republic of Maldives, on the sidelines of their participation in the annual meetings of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They discussed ways to strengthen cooperation between ICESCO and the Maldives in areas of common interest.

During the meeting, which took place on Sunday, April 28, 2024, in Riyadh, Dr. AlMalik emphasized ICESCO’s commitment to developing and enhancing cooperation with the Republic of Maldives as part of the Organization’s vision and strategic direction. He reviewed the key pillars of this vision and highlighted the initiatives, programs, and activities currently being implemented by ICESCO, focusing on building the capacities of youth and women to face future challenges, leveraging the potential of modern technology, anchoring values of coexistence and civilizational dialogue, and preserving and promoting heritage.

The Meeting also discussed proposals for programs and activities of cooperation between ICESCO and the Maldives, following the Organization’s approach of identifying the priorities and needs of its Member States and designing appropriate projects for each country.

Furthermore, the Meeting addressed the issue of the Maldives’ overdue contribution to ICESCO’s budget, with both ministers confirming their commitment to settling it as soon as possible.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Organization for Education, Science, and Culture (ICESCO), praised the significant work being done by the Arab Group for the Coordination of National and Regional Development Institutions, the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and the OPEC International Development Fund to ensure effective response to financing development projects in several countries of the Islamic world. This is achieved by coordinating efforts and enhancing procedures related to financing major projects and programs in these countries to contribute to achieving strategic development goals.

The remarks came during the DG’s address, delivered on Sunday 28 April 2024, at the Arab Coordination Group Forum, held as part of the annual meetings of the IsDB Group, hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh, under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, from 27 to 30 April 2024, coinciding with the celebration of the Bank’s golden jubilee, marking its 50th anniversary.

Dr. AlMalik also called on the said Group to hold its next meeting at the ICESCO headquarters in Rabat, commending the joint efforts of all Group institutions aimed at achieving sustainable development and prosperity by cooperating with institutions, states, governments, and international organizations to practically contribute to improving the quality of life for individuals and advancing societies.

Dr. AlMalik’s invitation, embodying ICESCO’s new forward-looking vision of openness and cooperation for the benefit of its Member States, was warmly welcomed by the attendees.

Dr. Salim M. Al-Malik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Dr. Jamal Bin Huwaireb, Chief Executive Officer of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, to discuss ways to promote cooperation between ICESCO and the Foundation. The cooperation comes within the framework of the agreement signed between the two parties in March 2023, which provides for capitalizing on the expertise and capacities of both sides for the benefit of ICESCO Member States to improve their ranking in the Global Knowledge Index, issued annually by the Foundation and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

The meeting, held on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at ICESCO’s headquarters in Rabat, in the presence of Dr. Hani Turki, Director of the UNDP Knowledge Project, discussed ways to address the challenges associated with the data included in the Knowledge Index report. The meeting also focused on the importance of countries updating these data to assume the appropriate position for the level of progress achieved in the fields monitored by the Index.

The two parties discussed the participation of the index officials in the Conference of Ministers of Education in the Islamic World, to be hosted by the Sultanate of Oman in Muscat next October, as well as ICESCO’s participation in the Knowledge Summit in Dubai in November 2024. The two sides also discussed holding workshops for experts from ICESCO Member States to elaborate on the working mechanisms of the Knowledge Index, emphasizing the importance of cooperation between countries to reflect reality in the annual index report, and to exchange expertise and experiences in this regard.

At the close of the meeting, the two parties reaffirmed their keenness to strengthen the existing cooperation between ICESCO and the Foundation, and to sustain coordination with the Organization’s Member States regarding the Knowledge Index.

The scientific seminar, organized by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), in partnership with the Arab Women Organization (AWO), kicked off on Wednesday, 17 April 2024, to discuss the status of girls’ education and provide the essential knowledge and tools and exchange expertise with the aim of promoting dialogue on ensuring inclusive and integrated education for girls in the Arab and Islamic worlds.

The opening session initiated with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran, followed by the address of Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG) , delivered on his behalf by Dr. Abdelillah Benarafa, ICESCO Deputy DG. Dr. Benarafa stressed ICESCO’s keenness to achieve equity and provide quality education for all learners, support girls’ capacity building in literacy and numeracy skills and endeavor to enable innovation and change, calling on the international community to promote synergy and devote appropriate consideration to education in the developmental processes.

Dr. Fadia Kiwan, AWO Director-General, and Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, via videoconferencing, then revealed the slogan of the seminar:  “Just Let Her Go to School.” In her intervention, Dr. Fadia stated that the seminar aims to exchange knowledge and expertise on the status and prospects for joint efforts to overcome obstacles to girls’ education. Dr. Fadia underscored the significant development of the Arab and Islamic countries over the past two decades as school enrollment for boys and girls witnessed a qualitative leap in several countries, except in those experiencing wars and armed conflicts.

In her remarks, Dr. Aawatif Hayar, Minister of Solidarity, Social Integration and Family in the Kingdom of Morocco, reviewed Morocco’s efforts in protecting children’s rights. Her speech, delivered on her behalf by Dr. Mohamed Ait Azizi, Director of the Family and Childhood Department of the Ministry, highlighted the country’s innovative policies geared towards ensuring girls’ access to education.

For her part, Ms. Safiya bint Intah, Mauritanian Minister of Social Affairs, Children and Family, highlighted the key obstacles to girls’ education in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, including child marriage, poverty, and poor coordination between families and schools, and the measures implemented by the country to address these challenges.

In her address, delivered on her behalf by Mr. Anar Karimov, Head of Partnerships and International Cooperation at ICESCO, Dr. Koumbou Barry, Head of the Education Sector at the Organization, emphasized the need to intensify efforts to combat the marginalization of girls, address the economic gaps and inequalities between male and female youth in the Arab and Islamic worlds, and leverage technology to reach girls deprived of education.

Subsequently, the Seminar’s first-day sessions began. The first session discussed comparative studies on the status of girls’ education in the Arab and Islamic worlds, while the second focused on the economic consequences of denying girls access to education.