Dr. Elias A. Zerhouni, the US Science Envoy visited Sunday the General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Conference and was received by Ambassador Abdul Moiz Bokhari, OIC's Assistant Secretary General, in charge of science and technology affairs. This was Dr. Zerhouni's first visit after the US Government's announcement to appoint Science Envoy to collaborate on programmes that develop new sources of energy, job creation, clean water, agriculture, and environment. In his June 04, 2009 speech in Cairo, President Obama declared his intention to appoint a new US Envoy as part of the US Government's commitment to global engagement in the field of science and technology. Both sides exchanged views within the framework of the Cairo initiative to identify opportunities for sustained cooperation between the US and the OIC Member States. The US Government's announcement of a new global effort with the Organization of the Islamic Conference to work together to address issue of polio, offers a constructive and positive context for developing partnership. Besides polio, partnership on other issues like child and maternal health, science and technology and innovation issues were also discussed during the meeting, according to a press release of the OIC.
