Astana, 11 February 2025 – In line with the decisions taken at the 9th Ministerial Conference on Food Security and Agricultural Development, held in Doha, Qatar, in October 2023, the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) successfully convened the first of a series of Regional Consultation for all the groupings of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Today it was the turn of the African Group that gathered to engage with the draft Strategic Plan for Ensuring Food Security in OIC Member States, which itself is a mandate by the 49th Council of Foreign Ministers held in Nouakchott, Mauritania, in March 2023.
The event, held virtually, brought together senior officials from OIC Member States, alongside representatives from relevant OIC Agencies. The session was aimed at gathering input on national priorities, clarifying the objectives of the draft strategy, and discussing ways to ensure its timely implementation.
The consultation began with an opening ceremony that included a recitation from the Holy Qur'an. The ceremony was followed by speeches from distinguished leaders, including Dr. Masoud Almarri, Director of the Food Security Department at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment, Qatar, Ambassador Khusrav Noziri, Assistant Director General of the IOFS, Dr. Ahmed Sengendo, Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation ( OIC ) for Economic Affairs, Mr. Atilla Karaman, Director of the Statistics and Information Department of the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), and Mr. Nizar Zaied, Manager for Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Development at the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB). All were unanimous in emphasizing the relevance of the draft Strategic Plan, regional cooperation, data-driven policy, and sustainable development in tackling food security challenges. Additionally, Prof. Zulfiqar Ali, Director of Programs Department at the IOFS, presented the draft strategy, followed by discussions where Member States shared insights and recommendations to refine the plan.
The consultation concluded with a collective commitment to ensuring the strategy’s effective implementation.
This session marks a key step in finalizing the OIC Food Security Strategy, with further regional consultations leading to an in-person meeting before its adoption at the 10th Ministerial Conference on Food Security and Agricultural Development in Chad later this year. The IOFS, alongside OIC General Secretariat, SESRIC, and IsDB, remain dedicated to enhancing food security, sustainability, and resilience across OIC Member States.
