Category: Director General

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and Leibniz Institute for Catalysis (LIKAT) in Germany, signed today, April 16, a framework agreement on joint implementation of practical programmes and activities to promote scientific research and develop technology and innovation toward achieving sustainable development.

During a videoconference meeting, the agreement was signed by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), and Prof. Matthias Beller, Executive Director of LIKAT, in the presence of the head and experts of the Sector of Science and Technology at ICESCO and the Advisor to the DG for Partnerships and International Cooperation.

In his address at the signing ceremony, Dr. AlMalik reaffirmed the importance of ICESCO-LIKAT cooperation in fostering capacity-building and youth rehabilitation in ICESCO Member States through science and technology, providing the necessary platforms for the development of their skills, and acquiring and disseminating scientific knowledge in the Islamic world to achieve sustainable development.

ICESCO DG expressed his hope that the agreement would serve as a model and a prelude to more agreements and partnerships between ICESCO and LIKAT-affiliated institutes.

For his part, Prof. Beller expressed his satisfaction with the signing of the agreement that will enhance ties between ICESCO and LIKAT and support cooperation and knowledge sharing in the fields of science and technology. He added that this cooperation was a success in that it allowed for organizing a joint celebration in observance of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science under the theme “Narrowing the Gender Gap Starts with Science.”

The framework agreement provides for cooperation in organizing joint conferences, forums, and workshops on the continuation of higher education in the ICESCO Member States, cooperation in doctoral research in the field of “chemistry, catalysis, and sustainable technology” and joint support for a project on innovation in advanced technology.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the National Commission for UNESCO and ICESCO in Mali have concluded an agreement to launch the “Project of the Fight against COVID-19 through Supporting Innovation and Entrepreneurship of Women and Youth” in Mali, as part of the ICESCO-Alwaleed Philanthropies partnership to support the efforts of 10 African countries to counter the adverse repercussions of the pandemic.

The virtual signing ceremony was held Thursday, April 15, 2021, with the participation of Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), and Prof. Doulaye Konate, Minister of National Education, President of the Malian National Commission for UNESCO and ICESCO, and in the presence of Ms. Ramata Al Mamy Mbaye, Director of the Sector of Human and Social Sciences, at ICESCO, and Prof. Diallo Kadia Maiga, Secretary-General of the Malian National Commission for UNESCO and ICESCO.

In his address at the ceremony, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik reaffirmed ICESCO sustained efforts to support its Member States in combating the COVID-19 pandemic, as part of ICESCO’s new vision, that adopts promoting communication mechanisms with the Member States and identifying their respective needs and priorities.

The DG expressed his sincere thanks and deep appreciation to ICESCO’s permanent partner, Alwaleed Philanthropies, whose Board of Directors is chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud, for its generous support to ICESCO’s humanitarian and social initiatives to assist 10 African countries, including Mali.

Prof. Doulaye commended ICESCO’s excellent work, in particular the initiatives, programs, and activities the Organization launched and implemented during the COVID-19 health crisis, aimed at strengthening the efforts of Member States to address the negative impacts of the pandemic. Prof. Doulaye also appreciated Alwaleed Philanthropies’ assistance to Mali through its partnership with ICESCO.

At the end of the ceremony, the two parties signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the implementation of the project. The aim is to develop a sense of innovation and entrepreneurship among women and youth in Mali and support the private sector, entrepreneurs, and small enterprises.

Alwaleed Philanthropies collaborates with a range of philanthropic, governmental, and educational organizations to combat poverty, empower women and youth, develop communities, provide disaster relief, and create cultural understanding.

For four decades, Alwaleed Philanthropies has supported and spent more than 15 billion Saudi Riyals (SAR) and carried out more than 1000 projects in over 189 countries that 10 Saudi female members manage, reaching out to more than 1 billion beneficiaries around the world, regardless of gender, race, or religion.

The Participants in the international symposium on “Reconceiving post-COVID Islamic World”, that the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held on Wednesday 07 April 2021, stressed the importance of anticipating and discussing the challenges that the Islamic world will face post-COVID. The participants highlighted the need to broaden the scope of cooperation and joint action to find effective solutions to overcome the impact of the pandemic.

The Symposium, which was held via videoconference and saw high-caliber participation, discussed three main themes, namely “Inter-civilizational Dialogue in the Post-COVID Islamic World,” “Challenges and Prospects of Chinese-African Cooperation,” and “Vaccination Progress in the Islamic World.”

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), opened the Symposium and underscored that the Islamic world need to be prepared for the post-COVID period, noting that the pandemic was ever greater than the efforts that governments exerted, with its consecutive waves and exacerbating intensity. He added that the challenges require joint action that is based on cooperation and solidarity, values that Islam insists on.

The DG also noted that ICESCO, in cooperation with several donors, provided remarkable assistance to its Member States and that the Organization is working on contributing to the process of outlining the general conception of the post-COVID period and drawing lessons to benefit from this crisis in the future.  He stated that ICESCO focuses on promoting peace and fostering the culture of tolerance and coexistence, stating that the Symposium is an opportunity to shed light on the way the Islamic world will deal with the Post-COVID-period.

In his address, the guest of honor, Mr. Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, former Prime Minister of Pakistan, pointed out that COVID-19 cannot be reduced to a health crisis and that the pandemic has had a considerable impact on human lifestyles in general and affecting key economic aspects.

He described the pandemic as the most significant challenge that the world faced since WWII. Mr. Gillani added that the only way for the Islamic world to address the impacts of the pandemic is through cooperation and concerted efforts as boosting international cooperation mechanisms will allow a return to the pre-pandemic situation.

Speaking also in the event, Dr. Yahya Kamalipour, Founder of Global Media Journal Network, stressed the great importance that social media played during the pandemic as they constituted a virtual platform for connecting individuals from different nationalities and affiliations. He added that COVID-19 has improved public opinion about many concepts such as family, friendship, health and technology and promoted respect for front-line professionals who were on the line of contact with the pandemic.

Prof. Fang Zhaohui, Senior Expert on Confucian Philosophy at Tsinghua University, China, considered China to be a role model in addressing the pandemic thanks to its good management of the crisis and the measures it has taken in this respect over the past two years. He noted that the Chinese culture advocating strict adherence to health measures and advice has largely contributed to the success of this management.

Following the opening session, the working sessions featured fruitful discussions and outstanding ideas about anticipating, addressing, and solving post-COVID-19 global challenges. They also focused on ways to promote Chinese-African cooperation and challenges to the ongoing vaccination in the Islamic world.

The full video of the forum is available on the ICESCO Facebook page at:

https://fb.watch/4Kvu1wR08V/

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, the Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and Dr. Said M’hamad Ed-Dbib, Permanent Delegate of Libya to ICESCO, explored ways to promote cooperation between the Organization and Libya in the fields of education, science, and culture.

At the beginning of the meeting, held at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat, Dr. AlMalik conveyed his thanks to Libya for settling its 2021 contributions to ICESCO budget. The DG reaffirmed the Organization’s commitment to sustain its coordination with the Libyan authorities to identify the needs and priorities of the country in the upcoming period and design programmes and activities accordingly to be jointly implemented by the two parties.

The meeting focused on several cooperation programmes between ICESCO and Libya, notably the educational training sessions. The list includes the training session on “Distance Education Strategies” that the Organization held on March 15-18, in cooperation with the Libyan National Commission and coordination with the General Center for Training and Education Development at the Libyan Ministry of Education. The training session was held under the theme “Towards a deeper and broader education.”

The two parties also discussed the inscription of several Libyan historic sites on the Islamic World Heritage List (IWHL).

Dr. Ed-Dbib commended ICESCO’s efforts and the major roles it assumes in fields such as safeguarding, preserving and publicizing heritage in the Islamic world, promoting civilizational dialogue, and supporting Member States in their areas of competence.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and Ms. Fatma Samba Diouf Samoura, Secretary-General of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), explored ways to promote cooperation between ICESCO and FIFA in areas of common interest.

During the meeting, held today, Thursday, April 1, 2021, via videoconference, Dr. AlMalik and Ms. Samoura reaffirmed their keenness to build fruitful cooperation between the two institutions that would be translated into practical programs with tangible positive outcomes. Several ICESCO chiefs of sectors, heads of departments and advisors attended the meeting.

Dr. AlMalik highlighted the major axes of the Organization’s strategy, which adopts an open-door policy with all world countries and is based on building partnerships with civil society institutions and international organizations and bodies for the benefit of the Member States and Muslim communities across the globe through developing their educational, cultural and social systems.

The two parties explored the suggested field of cooperation to contribute to building a bright and peaceful future by rendering sports in achieving sustainable peace and comprehensive development, raising awareness on the importance of maintaining good health through sports and a balanced diet, and integrating sports values in educational systems. The meeting also discussed creating a research chair between ICESCO and FIFA and promoting joint action to support social cohesion in protecting vulnerable groups.

Ms. Samoura commended ICESCO’s work strategy and the strides that the Organization made to develop and modernize its working mechanisms, underlining that football has immensely contributed to promoting peace, especially in conflict zones. She added that FIFA looks forward to developing genuine relations with the Organization focusing on promoting the role of women and young people and building the capacities of future generations, mobilizing different parties to eradicating gender discrimination and promoting women’s presence in sports.

At the close of the meeting, the two parties agreed to continue working on drafting a cooperation agreement, to be signed at the earliest convenience, and launch joint initiatives, programs and activities.

ICESCO and FIFA have previously cooperated on producing a video clip featuring major football world stars to convey a message of appreciation to health workers for their heroic roles during the COVID-19 pandemic and for joining the battle against the virus.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Francophone University Agency (AUF) signed on March 29, 2021, a framework agreement to enhance cooperation between the two parties in improving governance in university training and research institutions. The cooperation also includes implementing joint programmes to enable graduates in the ICESCO Member States to meet the labor market requirements.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), and Dr. Slim Khalbous, AUF Dean, signed the agreement, at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat, in the presence of some directors of the Agency as well as the directors of ICESCO sectors and departments.

In his statement at the signing ceremony, Dr. AlMalik reviewed the main lines of ICESCO’s new vision and action strategy, which adopt an open-door policy and enhance the role of women and youth in building the future. He also commended the Organization’s programmes adding that the agreement will be an example to follow and a new step towards constructive cooperation to support the ICESCO Member States.

Dr. Khalbous expressed his happiness at the signing of the agreement, which will strengthen the bilateral relationship between ICESCO and AUF and help develop cooperation between the two parties. He also congratulated ICESCO on its promising vision while stressing that the converging visions and strategies of the two parties will help build strong cooperation.

The agreement sets forth cooperation between ICESCO and AUF in developing the capabilities of graduates, providing them with the necessary skills to meet the requirements of the professions of tomorrow, promoting cultural and creative industries, women entrepreneurship, and educational creativity. The agreement also covers spreading the foresight culture, addressing digital challenges, supporting scientific research programmes on the Francophonie, and promoting governance through joint development of training and planning tools to enshrine good practices in governance policy, particularly in universities.

     On Wednesday, March 24, 2021, the headquarters of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Conference of Ministers of Youth and Sports of La Francophonie (CONFEJES) and another agreement with the Conference of Ministers of Education of La Francophonie (CONFEMEN). The agreements stipulate the joint implementation of programs and projects to integrate the values ​​of peace and citizenship in educational systems and the field of sports and among youth.

The two agreements were signed, on behalf of ICESCO, by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Organization, on behalf of CONFEMEN by Dr. Abdel Rahamane Baba-Moussa, Secretary-General, and on behalf of CONFEJES by Mr. Modibo Traoré, Deputy Secretary-General.

In his speech during the signing ceremony, Dr. AlMalik affirmed that ICESCO’s new vision and strategy of action adopts cooperation with international organizations of common interest, and through the signing of these two agreements, aims at building a strong partnership in terms of establishing peace, training youth and girls and cooperating in developing educational systems in the Member States, in cooperation between ICESCO, CONFEMEN, and CONFEJES.

For his part, Dr. Abdel Rahamane Baba-Moussa praised ICESCO’s policy of being open to organizations that care about youth and education for all and pointed out that CONFEMEN works to promote the holistic approach of school education, within the framework of formal and non-formal education, and to integrate education in marginalized areas. He added that this agreement constitutes a starting point for major cooperation.

Mr. Modibo Traoré affirmed that ICESCO’s signing of the cooperation agreement with CONFEJES is the beginning of broad-based fruitful cooperation. He presented an overview of CONFEJES’ mechanisms of work in the field of youth, sports, and promoting the values ​​of peace, citizenship, and youth participation.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), met Mr. Julio Glinternick Bitelli, Ambassador of Brazil to Morocco, with whom he examined the cooperation between ICESCO and Brazil in the Organization’s fields of action and the legal procedures required for Brazil’s joining ICESCO as an Observer State.

The meeting took place on Wednesday, March 24, 2021, at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat and was attended by many of the Organization’s sector and department directors. Dr. AlMalik reviewed the main programs and initiatives currently being implemented by ICESCO, including the training program for youth and women in leadership in the fields of education, science and culture, through leadership incubators that ICESCO has launched at its headquarters, as well as working to support the creation of similar incubators in the Member States.

The DG of ICESCO reviewed the main programs and activities implemented in celebration of “ICESCO Year of Women 2021,” proclaimed in honor of women who bear many burdens and have been on the front line during the COVID-19 pandemic with the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco. He also noted that this celebration witnessed high-level participation among first ladies, female figures, and leaders of international organizations, and was largely circulated in mainstream and social media.

The meeting discussed legal procedures for countries joining ICESCO as observers. The Ambassador stressed the interest of Brazil in this issue to strengthen cooperation with the Organization and the countries of the Islamic world.

The Ambassador of Brazil in Rabat welcomed the proclamation by ICESCO of 2021 as the Year of Women, stressing that it is a distinct concept as women are the pillars of society and play a major role in all fields. He expressed Brazil’s wish to participate in the activities that ICESCO intends to undertake in the next phase.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), received Ms. Vasylieva Oksana Yurievna, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Morocco. They discussed cooperation prospects between ICESCO and Ukraine in the fields of education, science, and culture, as well as Ukraine’s membership to the Organization as an observer.

During the meeting, which took place at the headquarters of ICESCO today, in the presence of several directors and experts of the Organization and the Consul General of Ukraine in Rabat Dr. AlMalik underlined that ICESCO adopts more communication and openness, not only with its Member States but also with non-Member States. The Organization also adopts an open-door policy with international organizations and bodies and civil society institutions, and builds partnerships and cooperation for the benefit of Member States and Muslim societies around the world.

More than two million Muslims live in Ukraine enjoying their full rights, with independent
institutions that represent them before the Ukrainian government. The cooperation in the fields of education, science, and culture would augur well to the new strategic vision the Organization is espousing towards achieving its goal for the benefit not only of its Member States but ideally to ICESCO Observer States as well.

The Ambassador of Ukraine praised the remarkable work that ICESCO accomplished and thanked the DG for his invitation to attend many of the Organization’s rich activities, stressing her country’s desire for more cooperation with ICESCO and the countries of the Islamic world.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), and Dr. Sidi Mohamed Ould Tah, DG of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), held a virtual meeting on Wednesday, March 17, 2021, to explore ways to foster a partnership between the Organization and the Bank in multiple fields. Several ICESCO sector directors, advisers, and experts also attended the meeting.

The two parties explored prospects of cooperation between ICESCO and BADEA in several fields to address African needs, taking into account the respective strategies of the two institutions. The two parties agreed to set up a joint committee to identify the major projects, lay down their budgets, and outline the goals to attain positive and concrete outcomes.

The two officials discussed several programs including cooperation to train 1000 young female leaderships, support women and girls’ entrepreneurial sense, empower newly literate women in Africa and train them on setting up income-generating projects such as sewing, embroidery, and traditional and artisanal industries.

The two parties also discussed cooperation to grant scholarships to girls and reaffirmed the need to sustain cooperation in the field of teaching Arabic to non-Arabic speakers through the Regional Educational Center for Arabic to non-Arabic Speakers in Chad. They discussed setting up five other language centers in African countries in the upcoming two years.

ICESCO and BADEA have established strong cooperation ties since their first partnership in 1994.