Category: Science & Technology

The opening session of the celebration of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Dr. Salim AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), moderated the event that included face-to-face and videoconference contributions and witnessed high-level participation from all over the world.

The Organization held the celebration as part of the programmes and activities of ICESCO’s Year of Women under the theme: “Narrowing the Gender Gap Starts with Science” under the high patronage of H.M. King Mohammed VI of Morocco, in partnership with the Leibniz Institute for Catalysis (LIKAT), a member of Leibniz Association Germany, and Space Foundation in the United States. The opening session of the celebration featured addresses by Dr. Mehriban Aliyeva, First Lady, First Vice-President of Azerbaijan.

Dr. Aliyeva expressed her thanks and appreciation for the achievements ICESCO has scored in supporting women, especially in science, while stressing that achieving sustainable development hinges on making progress in science and innovation. In her address, Dr. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, former President of Mauritius, said that the gender gap in science is a global phenomenon that needs to be redressed. She put forward many proposals and ideas to achieve the goal. H.R.H. Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan, President of the Royal Scientific Society of Jordan, said that despite the efforts being made to support and provide opportunities for women and girls, there is still a long and difficult path to travel. She then praised the roles ICESCO plays in supporting women in the areas falling under the realm of its competence. For his part, Dr. Al-Malik reaffirmed that the Organization has prepared its ambitious programme “Women for the Future” for 2021 through which it aims to support women in several areas to overcome various challenges, including in the field of science.

ICESCO DG explained that the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development needs everyone’s participation and sincere efforts to reduce gender disparities in science, technology, and innovation (STI). He deplored that despite the efforts made to enhance women’s and girls’ science education and the increase in women’s and girls’ enrollment, many drop out before scoring distinguished achievement in scientific research. “Women researchers across the globe represent only 28.8% of the total number of people involved in the field of scientific research, and only 27% of the countries of the world achieved gender parity in 2016,” the DG added. The DG stressed the need for action to change the situation. He stressed that ICESCO, as part of its new vision, will spare no effort and will invest its expertise and resources to support women in the field of science, technology, education, and culture. The Organization is also willing to cooperate with countries, institutions, and interested people to provide opportunities for women and girls to enhance their role in science and technology, he continued. The first session then kicked off face-to-face at ICESCO headquarters and brought together many ambassadors accredited to Morocco and experts in the field of science. High-profile female figures, Nobel Prize laureates in the fields of science, specialists, and professors at prestigious universities from all over the world also attended the first session remotely.

The Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, revealed the Organization’s strategy to support scientific research and innovation in the Islamic world.

According to Dr. AlMalik, the fourfold strategy seeks to overcome the challenges and problems facing most universities and research centers in the ICESCO Member States, namely the production of quality papers accepted for publishing globally and patent-writing strategies.

The statements were part of the DG address at the opening session of ICESCO’s Two-Day Workshop on Scientific Paper and Patent Writing, in partnership with the International University of Rabat (UIR), the COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), the National Center for Scientific and Technical Research (CNRST) in Morocco, and the Leibniz Institute for Catalysis in Germany. The workshop witnessed large participation from academics and researchers from all over the world. ICESCO held the event face-to-face and virtually.

The training seeks to help academics and researchers to improve their performance and skills in scientific and patent writing and promote innovation and creativity in the Member States. ICESCO DG pointed out that the workshop is part of ICESCO’s new vision on science and technology. He stressed that ICESCO will spare no effort to promote science, scientific research, and innovation in the Member States through supporting cooperation between developed and developing countries in the three fields.

Regarding ICESCO’s strategy to overcome those challenges, Dr. AlMalik reaffirmed that ICESCO will:

1. Support innovative research by providing 300 scholarships to help researchers from the Member States to develop sustainable innovative solutions in science and technology;
2. Launch ICESCO Innovation Award for Best Innovation in Science and Technology in the Member States;
3. Develop a new comprehensive program on environmental innovation and green technology transfer in partnership with multiple stakeholders;
4. Launch a program for setting up and linking incubators and technology clusters in the ICESCO Member States.

The DG stated that ICESCO is willing to ensure more cooperation with international partners, research centers, and universities inside and outside the Islamic world to achieve the objectives of the Organization’s strategy for scientific research and innovation in the Islamic world. The objectives can be achieved, Dr. AlMalik added, through sharing best practices among the Member States and learning from other parties’ privileges to help set up a mechanism for regional assistance and integration in capacity-building.       

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation of the OIC (COMSTECH) held a videoconference Wednesday, August 12, to explore cooperation prospects between the two parties in the fields of science, technology, scientific research, and higher education.

During this meeting, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO’s Director-General, reaffirmed the Organization’s keenness to cooperate with the COMSTECH. He also expressed the Organization’s interest in implementing joint programs for the benefit of the Islamic world countries in the fields of science and technology and building the capacities of scientists and research centers in these countries.

Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, COMSTECH General Coordinator, welcomed ICESCO’s cooperation invitation. He noted that the two parties have already worked together to implement a number of joint initiatives and programs.

Several key topics figured in the discussion. First, the parties planned to organize a joint activity on artificial intelligence (AI), and the proposed network of universities for the fellowship program between the Higher Education Committee (HEC) and the COMSTECH. The meeting also discussed ICESCO’s participation in the second edition of the Robotics Competition; and the ICESCO—COMSTECH joint initiative on “Women in Science in OIC’s African Member States”.

The two parties agreed to examine the activities that can join ICESCO’s and COMSTECH’s teams for successful implementation. The parties also agreed to plan and implement robust programs with tangible impacts on science, technology, and scientific research in the Islamic world.

COMSTECH is a ministerial committee, established in 1981, following a resolution issued by the Third Islamic Summit of OIC held in Mecca, Saudi Arabia that same year. The President of Pakistan is the chairman of Islamabad-based COMSTECH. The committee tracks the implementation of OIC’s resolutions related to science and technology and supports cooperation between the countries of Islamic world in these fields.

**A cooperation agreement was signed to hold 9th World Water Forum

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), urged on Monday, July 27, countries to prioritize investment in water management, sanitation systems, and hygiene services. He also reaffirmed that water security is vital in ensuring not only humanity’s survival, but also socio-economic development, sustained energy production, and food security.

The statement was part of Dr. AlMalik’s address at the opening session of the high-caliber virtual meeting on water security for peace and development in the Islamic world, which ICESCO held today.
The meeting was in cooperation with the Moroccan National Office of Electricity and Water (ONEE), and the Secretariat of the 9th World Water Forum. The event, chaired by Mr. Kabiné Komara, Former Prime Minister of Guinea, is a preparatory event to the 9th World Water Forum, due to be held next year in Dakar, Senegal.

Dr. AlMalik also warned against the difficult global situation in terms of water resources. “Studies and research works have shown that almost 300 thousand children under 5 years of age die each year due to diseases caused by contaminated drinking water and poor hygiene. Besides, over two billion people lack clean drinking water while four billion people suffer from the shortage of sanitation services,” he added.

ICESCO’s DG also stated that women and girls are most affected by the lack of water security in many regions. “In 8 out of 10 households, particularly in poor countries, women bear the burden of ensuring the availability of drinking water. Water scarcity is a major factor in school drop-out and non-enrollment among girls. The poor quality of sanitation services causes health problems and infect 44 million pregnant women. Water resources depletion has affected the socio-economic and political activities, and the increased unemployment rate among youth, who struggle to counter these negative effects through extremism or drugs,” he stressed.

In addition, Dr. AlMalik reaffirmed that “ICESCO pays great attention to water issues which are key to achieving sustainable development goals in the Islamic world. The Organization also implemented several programmes, projects, and action plans to boost water use efficiency through modern technologies.”

During the opening session, which started at 10:00 GMT, Mr. Serigne Mbaye Thiam, Minister of Water and Sanitation of the Republic of Senegal, gave an address wherein he commended this meeting and its topics. He also lauded the excellent cooperation between ICESCO and Senegal, while highlighting that the COVID-19 pandemic pushes us to take prompt collective action to ensure water for all.

In his address, Mr. Loïc Fauchon, President of the World Water Council, said that many Muslim countries suffer from drought and water resources shortage, particularly with the global warming predictions and poor rainfalls in the future. He added that water-induced conflicts have become real, and a balance between water resources and water consumption should be achieved.

At the close of session, Dr. AlMalik and Mr. Serigne Mbaye Thiam signed an agreement between ICESCO and the Ministry of Water and Sanitation of Senegal, for cooperation on holding the 9th World Water Form (Dakar 2021).