ASTANA – High-level representatives of the Islamic world confirmed their participation in the first Summit on Science and Technology in Astana during the 44th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) July 9-11 in Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire). Kazakhstan’s official delegation headed by the President’s Special Envoy and Deputy Foreign Minister Akylbek Kamaldinov attended.
Delegations of OIC member states and observers, as well as the leaders of the organisation’s 30 key institutions attended the meeting. More than 100 political and other resolutions were adopted, some of which were initiated by Kazakhstan, including those to broaden support for Kazakhstan’s international efforts in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, interreligious harmony, food security and addressing the environmental issues of the Semipalatinsk test site and the Aral Sea.
Kamaldinov briefed participants on the implementation of Kazakhstan’s international initiatives unanimously supported by the Islamic Ummah.
He also drew the attention of OIC member states to the importance of participation of the leaders of the Muslim world in the work of the first Summit on Science and Technology in Astana Sept. 10-11. The upcoming Summit seeks to develop a strategy for the development of education and scientific and technological modernisation of the Islamic world as the most effective mechanism to address modern challenges.
The Kazakh delegation also briefed participants on the summit, EXPO 2017 and their objectives.
Kamaldinov also met with the President of Côte d’Ivoire Alassane Ouattara, who confirmed his participation in the upcoming summit.
On the sidelines of the OIC ministerial council, the Kazakh delegation held talks with the heads of 32 delegations, including 21 foreign ministers, during which the issues of holding the Astana summit were discussed in detail. Particular attention was paid to deepening Kazakhstan’s cooperation with the OIC’s authoritative financial organisation – the Islamic Development Bank, whose head also intends to participate in the summit.
OIC was founded Sept. 25, 1969, at the conference of the heads of Muslim states in Rabat. It is the largest and most influential organisation of the Islamic world. At present, OIC unites 56 countries with a population of about 1.5 billion. Kazakhstan became a full member of the organisation in 1995. The organisation is an important platform for cooperation between the states of the Islamic world. Kazakhstan presided at the 38th session of the OIC Foreign Ministers Council in 2011-2012, when it initiated the establishment of the Islamic Organisation for Food Security with its headquarters in Astana.
