Istanbul, 05 November 2024 – Upon instructions of His Excellency Ambassador Berik Aryn, the Director General of the Islamic Organization of Food Security (IOFS), Ambassador Khusrav Noziri, IOFS Assistant Director General, led the Organization’s delegation that participated at the 40th Ministerial Meeting of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC), held on 04-05 November 2024 in Istanbul, Republic of Turkiye.
The annual meeting brought together representatives and high-level officials from across the OIC Member States to discuss strategic economic and commercial priorities in the context of the theme, “Digital Transformation of Payment Systems in the OIC Member States”.
During the meeting, the IOFS highlighted its ongoing initiatives aimed at bolstering food security resilience within OIC Member States, including support for sustainable food systems, fostering innovation in agricultural technology, and addressing critical needs across member states. The IOFS delegation underscored the importance of cooperation among OIC relevant Institutions to meet these challenges in the face of regional and global disruptions affecting food supplies and accessibility.
On the sidelines of the COMCEC meeting, Ambassador Noziri had a chance to exchange views with different participants, including with the President of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), H.E. Dr. Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser, with whom he discussed issues of mutual interests.
Additionally, the Ambassador Noziri chaired a coordination meeting with relevant OIC Institutions to finalize preparations for the Global Food Security Summit, scheduled to take place later this month in Abu Dhabi. These included the Islamic Centre for Development of Trade (ICDT), the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC), and COMCEC Coordination Office. Aside sharing a pavilion with the IOFS at the Summit, these Institutions will have their respective representatives as speakers at a panel on “Enhancing Food Security Resilience in OIC Member States: Addressing Security Challenges through Collaboration and Innovation.”
This high-level Summit will gather different countries, OIC Member States, international organizations, and leading experts in food security to drive forward impactful solutions and strengthen collaboration in addressing food system vulnerabilities and enhancing sustainable global food production, particularly within the OIC.
It should be noted that, the IOFS delegation included Mr. Abdula Manafi Mutualo, Chief Multilateral Affairs Officer, and Mr. Saleh Lootah, CEO of the International Islamic Food Processing Association (IFPA).
