ISLAMABAD, Feb 13: The 7th Steering Committee Meeting for the Implementation of the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Agenda 2026 of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation was successfully concluded on Friday at the Secretariat of the OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH).
The meeting brought together senior officials from the OIC General Secretariat and representatives of key OIC institutions to review progress achieved so far and chart the way forward as the Agenda enters its final phase.
In his welcome address, Coordinator General COMSTECH, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, highlighted the evolution of the Steering Committee process since 2019 and emphasized the importance of the current session in assessing achievements and identifying implementation gaps.
He noted significant progress in capacity building, research collaboration, innovation support, and institutional strengthening, while also acknowledging disparities in implementation capabilities among Member States.
Assistant Secretary-General for Science and Technology, Ambassador Aftab Ahmad Khokher, underscored the urgency of preparing a comprehensive implementation report ahead of the 53rd Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers scheduled to be held in Baghdad.
He called for clarity on the report’s scope, methodology, and timeline, and encouraged members to consider extending the STI framework beyond 2026 under a more focused and results-driven approach.
Brief presentations were delivered by key institutions, including the Islamic Development Bank, the Islamic World Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), the Statistical Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the OIC (COMCEC), and the Islamic Organization for Food Security.
The presentations highlighted ongoing initiatives aligned with the twelve priority areas of the STI Agenda.
On the second day, a statistical review presented by COMSTECH revealed a 27 percent increase in international patents, a fourfold rise in research publications, and improved global university rankings across OIC Member States.
However, participants cautioned against the risk of widening technological gaps, particularly in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence.
During the deliberations, the Steering Committee agreed that the OIC General Secretariat would seek formal feedback from Member States on the implementation status of the STI Agenda 2026.
It was further decided that COMSTECH and SESRIC would jointly prepare a comprehensive, data-driven evaluation report to ensure an evidence-based assessment while avoiding duplication of efforts.
Importantly, members agreed in principle on the development of a new ten-year framework, tentatively titled “OIC STI Agenda 2036.”
The proposed framework will be formulated through a consultative process aligned with the OIC Programme of Action (2026–2035) and will adopt a more focused, project-based, and measurable approach.
The Committee also decided that an 8th Steering Committee Meeting would be convened, preceded by preparatory virtual consultations, to finalize the implementation report for submission to the relevant OIC forum.
In their closing remarks, Ambassador Khokher and Prof. Choudhary thanked participants for their constructive engagement and reaffirmed the collective commitment to strengthening science, technology, and innovation cooperation across the OIC region.
