Dubai, UAE - 5 February 2026 —The Islamic Organisation for Food Security (IOFS) has reached an important institutional milestone with the signing of a Letter of Intent (LoI) with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), reinforcing its growing cooperation with the United Nations system in the field of food security, sustainable agriculture, and rural development.
The Letter of Intent was signed on 5 February 2026 in Dubai by the two Heads of the two Institutions, Their Excellencies Ambassador Berik Aryn, IOFS Director General, and Mr. Álvaro Lario, IFAD President, reflecting the shared commitment to enhanced coordination and collaboration in common Member States facing challenges related to rural poverty, climate vulnerability, and limited access to finance and markets.
This development builds on IOFS’s expanding engagement with relevant agencies of the United Nations (UN), following the Letter of Intent signed with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in July 2024, as well as the Memoranda of Understanding concluded with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in May 2025 and the World Food Programme (WFP) in October 2025. Together, these partnerships reflect IOFS’s steady efforts to position itself as a reliable and constructive partner within the international development community.
Under the framework of the LoI, IOFS and IFAD are to explore cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including agricultural and rural development, agribusiness and value-chain development, private-sector promotion and microfinance, capacity development, and information exchange and knowledge-sharing, in line with their respective mandates and priorities.
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