ICESCO, UNDP Sign MoU to Strengthen Capacities in Knowledge Production

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding, to promote cooperation and pool efforts geared towards implementing pioneering initiatives in the fields of the knowledge economy, good governance, digital transformation, and analytical studies on sustainable development.

The MoU was signed at ICESCO headquarters by Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General, and Dr. Abdallah Al Dardari, UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director for Arab States, in the presence of Dr. Hany Torky, Chief Technical Advisor and Director of the UNDP Knowledge Project, and Ms. Ilaria Carnevali, Resident Representative of UNDP in the Kingdom of Morocco.

During the signing ceremony, Dr. AlMalik commended the distinguished partnership between ICESCO and UNDP, expressing his delight at signing this MoU. In this connection, Dr. AlMalik announced the launch of five ICESCO–UNDP initiatives, namely: the second phase of the ICESCO Skills Academy, “The Learning Sprint”; the joint preparation of a panel on the impact of emerging technologies on the skills of the future, to be held during the upcoming session of the United Nations General Assembly; a conference of higher education ministers on knowledge capacity-building strategies based on the outcomes of the Global Knowledge Index; a data capacity-building program in the Islamic world; and a joint program to support education in crisis-stricken countries.

For his part, Dr. Abdallah Al Dardari expressed his pleasure at visiting ICESCO and signing the MoU, conveying his keen interest in exploring new horizons for constructive cooperation, in light of the significant development of UNDP activities in the Kingdom of Morocco. This development, he noted, provides wider opportunities for cooperation with ICESCO, especially in the field of artificial intelligence. He also highlighted other areas of cooperation, including exchanging and disseminating experiences to Member States, promoting knowledge-based economies, and developing their competitive potential at the global level.