ISLAMABAD: The ministerial standing committee of Comstech is set to host the sixth meeting of the OIC steering committee on the implementation of the science, technology and innovation (STI) agenda 2026.

A statement issued here said the event will take place from April 22 to 24 at the Comstech Secretariat in Islamabad.

Representatives from 17 OIC institutions across Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, Turkiye, Jordan, Uganda, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Pakistan were confirmed to attend, demonstrating a collective commitment to enhancing STI collaboration across member states.

In preparation for the meeting, Dr M. Iqbal Choudhary, coordinator general of Comstech, chaired a planning session at the Comstech headquarters.

The session was attended by senior officials, programme managers and departmental representatives, where key directives were issued to ensure smooth proceedings.

The steering committee will review the progress of the OIC STI agenda 2026, which was initiated following the first OIC summit on STI held in Astana, Kazakhstan, in 2017. The agenda seeks to strengthen research cooperation, encourage technology transfer and promote sustainable development among member states.

Key discussion points will include evaluating member states’ progress toward the STI goals, identifying new collaborative initiatives and outlining future actions leading to the formulation of the next STI framework.

Presentations from OIC institutions will highlight achievements, challenges and strategic recommendations aligned with the Abu Dhabi Declaration of 2022.

Participating institutions scheduled to present include the OIC general secretariat, Islamic Development Bank Group, Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, Union of OIC News Agencies, Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries, Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries and the Islamic Organisation for Food Security.

Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2025