Astana, Kazakhstan - 23 February 2026 - H.E. Ambassador Berik Aryn, Director General of the Islamic Organisation for Food Security (IOFS), met with H.E. Ms. Aleška Simkić, Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Kazakhstan, to exchange views on advancing cooperation in food security, sustainable agriculture, and development.
The Director General commended the European Union’s engagement in Central Asia and reaffirmed IOFS’s commitment to strengthening partnerships that address global food security challenges. He highlighted IOFS initiatives supporting Member States through capacity building, policy coordination, and the promotion of resilient food systems, particularly through flagship mandates, such as the Afghanistan Food Security Program (AFSP) and the Africa Food Security Initiative (AFSI).
Both sides explored practical avenues for collaboration aligned with shared development priorities, including climate resilience and agricultural innovation with a regional outreach.
The meeting concluded with a mutual commitment to advance engagement within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2015 between the General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the European External Action Service, which provides a structured basis for dialogue and cooperation.
