First OIC Summit on Science & Technology opens in Astana
The two-day international event will determine priorities, goals, and objectives in the field of science, technology and innovation development in the OIC member countries. The idea of convening the summit was proposed by the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev during the OIC Summit in Istanbul in 2016. The topic of the summit is "Science, Technology, Innovation and Modernization in the Islamic World".
Being a meeting during which the heads of state and government for the first time in history will exclusively be discussing scientific and technical issues, the summit is expected to facilitate the creation of a basis for a new scientific and technological agenda. It will also confirm the organization's commitment to science and technology, setting priorities, goals, and recommendations for Muslim countries for the coming decade.
It is also expected that the meeting will discuss the situation with Muslims in Myanmar.
The main documents of the summit will be the Final Communiqué and the Astana Declaration.
Representatives of 56 OIC countries and other international and regional organizations are taking part in the summit, as well as representatives non-member states such President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro who arrived in Astana this morning. According to him, he plans to use the platform to offer his formula for stabilizing oil prices.
The OIC Award Ceremony in Science and Technology will also be held during the Summit in Kazakh capital.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation was established in 1969. The Permanent Secretariat is the executive organ of the Organisation, entrusted with the implementation of the decisions of the two preceding bodies, and is located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Currently, the organization has of 57 member states, with a collective population of over 1.6 billion as of 2008. Five countries and five international organizations have observer status within the Organizations. Kazakhstan has been a member of the OIC since 1995. The Permanent Mission of Kazakhstan to OIC has been operating in Jeddah since March 2010. The country presided at the 38th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of OIC that was held on July 28-30, 2011.