H.E. Mr. Yerlan A. Baidaulet, the Director General of the Islamic Organization of Food Security (IOFS), had a virtual meeting with Prof. Adipala Ekwamu, the Executive Secretary of the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), to follow-up on earlier consultations on matters of common mutual interest.
The two sides agreed that the relationship has reached a level that would require a dedicated Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which would incorporate a Plan of Action with relevant joint activities, with special focus on celebration of 2022 as “IOFS Year of Africa”. Other priority areas include the development of Afro-Arab Partnership in the field of food security and nutrition, the launching of joint fellowship to benefit common Member States, and convening of different initiatives on commodities value-chain, particularly for wheat and cassava, as important crops for African countries.
Within the commitment to strengthen the bilateral cooperation, the two sides agreed to exchange delegations at their respective high-level meetings, including the participation of RUFORUM at the IOFS 5th General Assembly, expected to be held on 10-11 October 2022 in Tunis, Republic of Tunisia, and the participation of IOFS at the ROFURUM Annual Convening scheduled for 12-16 December 2022 in Harare, Republic of Zimbabwe.
It should be mentioned here that IOFS Director General was accompanied by Dr. Ismail Abdelhamid, Director of Programmes & Projects Office, Mr. Abdula Manafi Mutualo, Senior Liaison Officer, Mr. Bakytzhan Arystanbek, Program Manager, and Mr. Baglan Naribek, Executive Assistant to HEDG, while Prof. Adipala was assisted by Assoc. Prof. Anthony Egeru, Program Manager-Training and Community Development at RUFORUM, which is a consortium of 157 African Universities that provides research and postgraduate training opportunities for students and faculties in Africa.
The meeting ended with the commitment that in principle the proposed MoU would be signed on the sidelines of the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) Summit to be held on 06-09 September 2022 in Kigali, Rwanda.
