W. MUSAVIR
ASTANA: Astana will host first Summit on Science and Technologies of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in September for the future formulation of the agenda for innovation and scientific research over the next decade.
The first Islamic Summit will be held on September 10-11 in the Kazakh capital of Astana, in the presence of kings, princes and heads of Islamic countries, and will be the largest gathering of them to discuss scientific and technological issues, innovation and scientific research. The Summit will discuss the strategy of development and the priorities that can be achieved in the fields of science, technology and innovation over the next decade.
As per the reports the Summit confirms the great role played by Kazakhstan by hosting several meetings of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Islamic Cooperation in addition to many activities and meetings in the same matter. The Summit is particularly important as the first summit to be held in Central Asia with the presence of heads of Islamic countries, with the recent accession of these countries, as the member of the Organization in 1991.
The summit aims to shape the future of the science and technology agenda, reaffirm Islamic leadership of science and technology at the highest level, and set priorities, objectives and recommended actions for Islamic countries in science and technology over the next decade.
Summit will focus on the promotion of economic sectors based mainly on the scientific and technical industries, especially in light of the low rates of competition among the member countries of the Organization compared to other countries of the worlds first and second.
On the first day of the Forum, the participants will discuss the policy in the sphere of science, technologies and innovations. The agenda includes also issues of formation of legislative base for the development of education and science sectors in the era of globalization, the role of parliamentarians and the ways of their interaction with the national institutions in implementation of national programs and priorities. The participants will debate also research and technical dimensions in productivity. Parliamentarians, governmental officials, researchers and experts from Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Indonesia, the Comoro Islands, Pakistan, The Gambia, the Republic of Mali etc. will share their experience at the event.
On the second day of the Forum, the participants will discuss the cooperation among the countries in science, technologies and innovations. The international experience of India, UAE, Cote d’Ivoire, Morocco and Tajikistan will be considered as well. The issue of transition to “green economy” will be in spotlight of the Forum too. During the Forum, the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) will present its research into the best models of regulatory-legal framework and incentive mechanisms in the field of science, technologies and innovations in the OIC member and non-member countries. ISESCO is an active partner in organization of parliamentary forums together with the UNESCO. It contributes to strengthening the role of parliaments’ science committees or commissions in effective implementation of scientific-technical policy and establishment of cooperation among various components of innovation systems as well as in attraction and concentration of resources for the promotion of Kazakhstan’s scientific development. A final document – Astana Declaration on Strengthening Inter-Parliamentary Islamic Cooperation in the field of Science, Technologies and Innovations – will be signed after the two-day Forum. The Forum is organized by the Majilis of the Kazakhstan Parliament together with the ISESCO and Islamic Development Bank.
The Summit is the culmination of the efforts of the Organization and its efforts since 2003 to give scientific and technical research and innovations special importance through the Department of Science and Technology, which is part of the departments of the Secretariat of the Organization. The Summit, which is the first meeting of Islamic Heads of State and Government, will consider specific issues related to science and technology, ways to shape the future of the science and technology agenda, reaffirm the leadership commitment to science and technology at the highest level and identify priorities, objectives and recommended actions for Islamic countries in the field of science and technology for the next decade. “Bigger and higher” gathering to discuss scientific and technical issues.
The summit will also discuss the advancement of innovation and scientific research with the intention of encouraging scientists in Islamic countries and awarding prizes to honor them on the sidelines of the Astana summit, as well as many international competitions.
The Summit will be attended by representatives of the host country, Kazakhstan, representatives of the Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTEC), the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC), the Center for Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training of Islamic Countries (SESRIC) Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA), Islamic Development Bank, Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) and the Islamic World Academy of Sciences.
Advantages of the summit of Astana:
- The first Islamic heads of state and government on science and technology.
- To shape the future of the science and technology agenda in the Islamic world.
- Affirms the commitment of the leaders of the Islamic world to science and technology.
- Defines priorities, objectives and recommended actions for Islamic countries over the next decade.
Author is editor at Media Hub International Dubai
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