The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Hissein Brahim Taha reviewed the major achievements of the group in recent times at the 44th session of the Islamic Commission for Economic, Cultural and Social Affairs (ICECS), preparatory to the 48th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers to be hosted by Pakistan. The meeting of the Islamic Commission is held at the OIC General Secretariat in Jeddah from Jan. 11 to 13, 2022. The Secretary General stated that since the Council's 47th session, significant progress has been made in implementing a wide range of programs, projects and activities falling within the purview of the Islamic Commission on Economic, Cultural and Social Affairs, despite the precautionary measures imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the economic field, he explained that the OIC paid attention to the implementation of economic projects and programs in such important areas as agriculture, rural development, food security, employment, job creation and social security, as well as trade and investment support, with the vision to realize the goals set out in the OIC Program of Action 2025. On developing science, technology and innovation (STI), he recalled that the Secretariat coordinated with the OIC Standing Committee on Science and Technology (COMSTECH) in organizing the second session of the OIC Second Summit Conference on Science and Technology virtually on June 16, 2021. He highlighted the efforts made to address COVID-19, improve mother and child health and prevent and control diseases, among other issues. On cultural, social and family affairs, the Secretary General explained that the Secretariat had launched a set of programs, including preserving cultural heritage, disseminating the Islamic values of tolerance, solidarity and moderation. In this connection, he stated that General Secretariat is co-organizing with the Islamic University of Uganda the OIC Cultural Activity Program in Kampala, as an addition to the previous successful sessions of the OIC festival. The Secretary General added that in the field of social development, the Open-ended Intergovernmental Group of Experts has completed the internal and financial rules of the Family Council, and that the General Secretariat is now holding further meetings of the experts group to finalize the rules. In the area of women empowerment and gender equality, Taha mentioned that the eighth OIC ministerial conference on Women was held in Cairo, where issues discussed included women empowerment and how to preserve Member States' gains in this regard. The Conference adopted important resolution on protection and empowerment of women. — SPA
