ASTANA, May 14, 2026 – Member States of the Islamic Organisation for Food Security (IOFS) adopted 13 resolutions aimed at strengthening agricultural innovation, biodiversity preservation and regional cooperation during the ministerial session of the 7th IOFS General Assembly, hosted online by the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The session brought together representatives of over 40 OIC Member States and more than 15 international organisations.
The opening segment included remarks by H.E. Abdullah bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al Attiya, Minister of Municipality of the State of Qatar, who highlighted the unwavering support of the Republic of Kazakhstan as the host state of IOFS and formally transferred the chairmanship of the General Assembly to Kazakhstan.
Following the transfer, the session was chaired by Kazakhstan’s Minister of Agriculture, Aidarbek Saparov, who noted that food security has become a strategic priority and emphasized the need for IOFS to further strengthen its role as a mechanism for practical cooperation and joint initiatives.
The session also featured a statement by H.E. Dr. Ahmad Kawesa Sengendo, OIC Assistant Secretary General for Economic Affairs. In his statement, the OIC reaffirmed its support for IOFS and its mandate to advance food security cooperation across Member States.
H.E. Ambassador Berik Aryn, IOFS Director General, highlighted the Organisation’s progress since the 6th General Assembly in Doha and underlined the importance of stronger cooperation among Member States to advance practical food security solutions across the OIC geography.
During the session, Member States delivered constructive interventions, expressed support for the Organisation’s work, and provided valuable perspectives on priorities for the next stage of IOFS development.
The participation and statement of the Deputy Director General of the International Organization for Migration further reflected the growing confidence of relevant international organisations in IOFS’s commitment to addressing food security challenges across the OIC geography.
Key decisions included the establishment of the IOFS International Genebank in Kazakhstan, the launch of 2027 as the IOFS Year of Women Agrileaders and Youth Agripreneurs, the establishment of the Organisation’s first regional office in Morocco, and the operational launch of the IOFS Food Security and Innovation Knowledge Hub.
The General Assembly also approved convening of the Global Islamic Food Security Expo as a recurring platform for partnerships and innovation, supported the transition of the General Assembly from an annual to a biennial format, and endorsed the updated IOFS logo as part of the Organisation’s institutional development.
Member States also reaffirmed support for ongoing IOFS programmes, including initiatives focused on Africa, Afghanistan and the OIC Food Security Reserve System.
