OIC member states decide to shun Western countries

After a two-day brainstorming session to become scientifically and technologically independent, member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have decided to share scientific equipment with each other rather than importing them from Western countries.

The decision was taken at the concluding session of the high-level meeting hosted by COMSTECH, also known as OIC's Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation, on Tuesday.

The objective of the meeting - started on December 11 - was to devise an implementation strategy for the Ten-Year Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Agenda and finalise it to generate $650 million for manufacturing and launching space satellites.

The 'STI Agenda 2026' was approved at the first OIC Summit on Science and Technology held earlier this year in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Delegates from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Egypt, Jordan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Oman, Pakistan and representatives from OIC Secretariat, Islamic Development Bank, and Islamic Academy of Sciences participated in the meeting.

An official privy to the meeting told The Express Tribune that the OIC member states decided to share scientific equipment with each other as they were already manufacturing them, instead of importing from Western countries.

Moreover, he said, "Uzbekistan has also pledged to set one of the largest four-metre astronomical telescopes (in OIC countries) at a cost of $60 million, while Pakistan, Iran and Kazakhstan will provide human resource for the four-year project."

The meeting also included announcements of substantial funding for the 10-year plan under which initial pledges were made by Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia among other countries.

The OIC's member states require $650 million for effective implementation of the plan aimed at making them capable of manufacturing and launching space satellites and introducing science and technology as subjects in primary education, said the official.

Turkey has pledged to contribute a hefty amount for the implementation of the 10-year plan; however, the exact amount will be disclosed once approved by the Turkish government, the official added.

Meanwhile, he said, "Pakistan has sought $50 million from the Planning Commission for which a proposal has already been submitted to the cabinet for approval."

Some of the big science projects under this plan include setting up of medium-sized astronomical telescopes, plant gene banks, high-powered computation centres and small satellites among others.

The decisions made during the meeting will be shared with all OIC member states for their input and finalisation within the next three months.