Seoul, Republic of Korea — 27–28 October 2025 - The delegation of the Islamic Organisation for Food Security (IOFS), headed by H.E. Ambassador Berik Aryn, Director-General of IOFS, participated in the Global Green Growth Week 2025, organized by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) in Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Held under the theme “Innovation in a World in Transition,” the event convened global leaders, policymakers, and experts to explore and accelerate innovative solutions driving real-world progress in green growth and climate resilience.
On 27 October, H.E. Ambassador Aryn delivered a keynote address at the session titled “Shifting Paradigms: Addressing Organic Waste and Food Loss for a Greener Future.” The discussion focused on one of the most pressing challenges in global waste management—organic waste—which accounts for nearly one-quarter of global emissions and complicates the handling of other waste streams. The session gathered policymakers, practitioners, and experts to exchange views on policy trends and strategic priorities for managing organic waste more sustainably.
In his remarks, the Director-General emphasized the critical importance of addressing food loss and waste as a core pillar of sustainable food security, climate resilience, and green growth across the 57 Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). He also underscored IOFS’s ongoing initiatives in food waste management, circular economy, and South-South cooperation aimed at building climate-smart and sustainable food systems.
During the same session, Dr. Ismail AbdelHamid, Director of the IOFS Projects Department, contributed expert insights and engaged in a technical dialogue with participants on advancing innovative waste reduction strategies.
On 28 October, IOFS took part in the high-level panel session “Green Growth as a Response to Desertification: Economic and Financing Strategies in Arid Contexts.” The session was opened by H.E. Ban Ki-moon, President and Chair of GGGI, who delivered a video message highlighting the urgency of addressing desertification as a central pillar of climate adaptation and sustainable development.
The panel brought together distinguished speakers, including H.E. Ambassador Berik Aryn, Director-General of IOFS; H.E. Nada Al-Agizy, Minister Plenipotentiary and Director of the Sustainable Development and International Cooperation Department of the League of Arab States; H.E. Dr. Thuraya Said Al-Sareeriya, Presidential Advisor for Nature Conservation of the Environment Authority of the Sultanate of Oman; and H.E. Mr. Aly Abousabaa, Director General of the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA).
The discussion addressed the accelerating threat of desertification, which endangers the livelihoods of over two billion people in drylands and remains a major gap in global climate finance. Participants highlighted the need for innovative, inclusive financing models—such as blended finance and nature-based solutions—to restore degraded lands and strengthen climate resilience in arid regions.
In his remarks, H.E. Ambassador Aryn emphasized the urgent need for integrated and inclusive approaches to combat land degradation and desertification through climate-smart agriculture, soil rehabilitation, and innovative financing mechanisms. He further highlighted the productive cooperation between IOFS and GGGI, which continues to serve as a model for advancing sustainable food systems, knowledge exchange, and joint programming across OIC Member States..
Additionally, Dr. AbdelHamid participated in the session “Community Resilience & Food Security and Food Systems,” where he presented IOFS–GGGI joint initiatives, including the Livestock Baseline Assessment Study conducted in Guinea and Togo.
The participation of the IOFS delegation reaffirmed the Organization’s commitment to advancing green growth, strengthening collaboration with the Republic of Korea and GGGI, and mobilizing strategic partnerships to promote sustainable and resilient food systems across the OIC Member States.
