Astana, Kazakhstan – 14 June 2024 – During an online meeting held today, the Director General of the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS), H.E. Amb. Berik Aryn, and H.E. Mr. Azar Bayramov, Director General of the OIC Labour Centre, explored avenues for enhancing cooperation between their respective organizations. The discussions centered around joint efforts to address food security and employment challenges within the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
During the exchanges, Ambassador Aryn emphasized the critical role that food security plays in ensuring social stability and economic growth across OIC Member States. He highlighted the IOFS’s ongoing initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable agricultural practices, improving food production systems, and supporting member states in achieving self-sufficiency in food production.
Mr. Bayramov, on his side, expressed the OIC Labour Centre’s commitment to addressing employment challenges and improving labor market conditions in the OIC region. He underscored the importance of creating job opportunities in the agricultural sector, which is a significant source of employment in many member states. Mr. Bayramov also noted the potential for collaborative projects that may simultaneously address food security and employment issues.
The meeting concluded with a mutual commitment to formalize the collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which will outline specific projects and initiatives to be undertaken jointly. The interlocutors expressed optimism that this partnership would significantly contribute to the socio-economic development of OIC Member States.
It is important to note that the IOFS side included Zulfiqar Ali, Director of Programs & Projects Department, Mr. Sofian Ben Mouaddeb, Chief Countries Affair Officer, Mr. Abdula Manafi Mutualo, Chief Multilateral Affairs Officer, and Mr. Medeu Amangeldiyev, Chief Legal Officer, while the delegation of the OIC Labour Centre comprised of Mr. Ismayil Aslanov, Assistant to the Director General, and Ms. Aytan Zamanova, Head of Projects, Training and Cooperation Department.
